Snow White and The Huntsman II
by EuphoriaLily
Summary: Being Queen, Snow White has to make difficult choices. But what about her personal life? Who does she want? Her best, oldest friend Duke Hammond's son, William, or the man that saved her life more than once, the Huntsman, Eric? Will William and Eric work together when they need to, or will they damn everyone to death? Story better than summary. Hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter I

**Update 24-03-2012: I reread this chapter and changed all the grammatical errors I could find. I especially focused on the language. In later chapters, the talk without aggregations. That wasn't so in this chapter until now. Enjoy!**

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**Hey guys! This is my first fanfic, so every review is appreciated.  
**

**I wasn't very satisfied with how the movie ended, between Snow White and the Huntsman, so I just got lost into my imagination and wrote an extended ending and a new story.  
Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own SWATH, sadly, I just used the characters for your fun only!**

**Enjoy!**

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**I.**

"Hail to the Queen! Hail to the Queen!"

Snow White looks down on the people that are yelling to her, hailing to her for all the good in the world. Tears cloud her vision, feeling that everything is finally over.

Her eyes wander over the crowd, looking for her friends. The Dwarfs, duke William…Eric the Huntsman. But the last is not to be found anywhere. She frowns, looking over the crowd again. When everyone stops shouting her name, she sees him, finally. He walks up to the middle of the row of people and nods, smiling. She smiles back, feeling happy and confused at the same time. Happy to have won over Ravenna, but confused about her feelings. She has loved William ever since they were ten, but the Huntsman has saved her more than once. She knows that it had been his kiss that had saved her, not William's. What does that mean? She has heard that a curse like Ravenna's can only be broken by a true love's kiss. So why did she wake up after the Huntsman kissed her? Does she not belong with William? Was that not her destiny?  
Her destiny is to be Queen. Was that not what Muir meant when he said that she was Destined?  
Her head spins with all those questions while run through her mind, overwhelming her.

The Coronator hands her his hand and leads her down the path between the people. The soldiers raise their swords above her head and then she walks past the Huntsman. Their eyes meet and her heart leaps.

"What am I going to do now?" she whispers to William's father, Duke Hammond, who joins my side.

"We will escort you to your chambers, where you will rest for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, your Royal Duties will begin. Do not worry, you're new at this, I understand, we will guide you through all of it."

The Queen nods and follows the Duke to her new chambers. When she is finally alone, she sits down on the poster bed. She looks around, taking in the interior. The last time she has seen it, her father was lying dead on this bed, killed by Ravenna. The memory flashes back to her painfully, the 11 years spent in the highest tower of this castle.  
Oh god, her father…she buries her face in her hands, tears silently flowing down her cheeks. Would he be proud of her if he could see her right now?  
There is a soft knock on the door. She wipes her eyes, smooths her clothes and straightens her back. "Come in."

Her heart stops as the Huntsman enters. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" he says, softly. She nods. He closes the door and bows. "If I may, your majesty."

She waves her hand up in the air. "Do not bow for me, Huntsman. You saved my life, I should bow for you."

"You never have to bow for me." he says, his eyes locking with hers, his stare to drown in. "Can I sit down?" He points to the chair across of the room. Snow nods. He sits down. "I think we have to talk about this."

She fiddles with her dress, feeling very uncomfortable. "Yes. Of course."

"I think you look beautiful." whispers he.

Her eyes widen in surprise. Did he just compliment her?

He blinks furiously. "I – I – I am sorry, that is not what I wanted to say, I – I do not know why I said that."

"Because you meant it?" she whispers, hope coursing though her system. She suppresses it before she loses control of it. "Do not apologize for complimenting someone."

"I – I just – we need to talk about this. You woke up from the death after I _kissed_ you, you should know that. You did not when William did." He rubs his hands over his eyes and sighs.

"I know." she whispers.

He stares at her. "You do? You remember?"

She nods, remembering how she had hovered over her own body, seeing the Huntsman mourn over her, spilling about his life. About Sarah. About her. And then being pulled back into her body suddenly, still feeling his warm lips on hers and his tears on her cheeks. "Yes."

"You also know that a curse like that can only be broken by a true love's kiss, right?"

She nods. "Eric…" whispers she, but he cuts her off, definitely confused.

"Look – I meant what I said. Every word of it. Still do. But I know that you long before we met were destined to marry William."

She shakes her head. "I thought I was. Destined to marry him, that is. But he was the one who left me. He left me behind that day, when Ravenna took over. He left me alone in that tower for eleven years. He left me alone in the woods, while he knew I was alive. You were the one that saved me in the Dark Forest. You protected me and even when William was around, he did not. Your kiss saved me from Ravenna's curse, William's did not. Need I go on?"

The Huntsman smiles uneasily. "No, I understand. But...I should not have kissed you while you were lying dead. I – that was perverse."

Snow White rises and walks to the window, chuckling. "You had rather that I died?"

"No! God no, that is not what I meant!" He rises to and walks over to her. He puts a hand on her shoulder and sighs. "I am truly glad you lived, but I feel guilty over kissing you. I mean – oh, this is hard to explain. I love you. I have from the moment you ran into my life. But it was not right that I kissed you while you had no defense against me."

"For Heaven's sake, Eric, you saved my life! You should not be sorry for that!"

She hears the Huntsman struggle on words, but then his grip on her shoulder tightens and turns her. "I – God, Snow, I cannot do this."

What happens next, surprises her more than anything. He pushes her against the windowsill and kisses her passionately. At first, the Queen is just stunned, but the warmth spreading from his lips and the hands on the small of her back make her move. She returns his kiss gingerly and buries her hand in his hair. Her mind shuts off, completely leaving her at the mercy of her body. Every touch, every sensation is new to her, because of her solitude in the tower all of her adolescent life, and her only kiss had not really been a kiss, since it was Ravenna whom she had kissed. His hand move up to her neck where it rests for a moment, before moving on to her chest and resting there. She moves her hand up over his and then they break apart for a moment, catching their breaths, staring at each other.

"Snow..." he whispers, his hand moving away. "I am sorry."

She grabs his hand tighter. "Do not go." she whispers, tears forming in her eyes. She now realizes what she has done, and instantly feels guilty. What has she done? To Eric, to William, to herself? "Please. I do not want to be alone tonight." She does not know why she is so desperate not to be alone. Maybe because she has had her share of alone. Maybe because she does not want to be without him. It does not matter. She does not want to be alone, that is what matters.

He turns back, wipes a tear away with his thumb, puts his arms around her and then they just stand in the middle of the room for a while, holding each other. "But what about William?" whispers he after a while.

She feels a pang of guilt at the mention of his name, but she shrugs. She knows that she needs the Huntsman right now, not the Duke's son. She knows she loves William, but she also knows that she loves the Huntsman more. Or in a different way. "William is my friend, my dearest, oldest friend. And I love him. Just...I do not know yet. Please, go easy on me, I am just eighteen! I have been locked up in a tower for eleven years! I do not know what "love" is. I know what I feel and what I want, and right now, I do not want to be alone tonight." He strokes her hair and smiles.

"Alright." he whispers.

The Queen sighs, feeling guilty to put him through this after Sarah, but she cannot lie to herself. Lying to herself would mean unhappiness, and she does not want to be unhappy again. "You deserve to know how I feel about you. And I am so sorry that I cannot give you that right now. But I cannot tell you right now, because I do not know myself. But when I do, you will be the first to know." She rests her head against his chest and listens to his strong heart. His loyal heart that has been broken so many times. She does not want to be someone who breaks it, too. She cannot do that, not after all he did for her. Not after he saved her life like he did. He does not deserve all this heartbreak that he has been through. He deserves so much better.

"It's alright. I can wait." He strokes her hair and looks at her. "What do you want me to do now, my Queen?"

She smiles. "Just hold me. Even if it is just for tonight. Hold me like you did in the Dark Forest at night, to keep me warm. Please."

"Shh." the Huntsman shushes. "It is alright. You need only ask, I will do anything for you."

Her heart leaps and a sob escapes her throat. "I am scared, Eric. Scared for what I am about to face. I do not know anything about ruling. How do I rule my country in the same, just way as my father did?"

"Have you not noticed how the castle has changed?" he says, taking her back into his arms and rocking her gently. "It is light again." He pulls her to the window. "Have you not seen," he continues, pointing to the seas and the land beyond that, "how the land has come to bloom again?" She looks at the blue sea, remembering how it had looked from her barred window. Grey, dark, and tumultuous. Now it is blue, light and calm. And the land beyond the seas; marvelous. The hills used to be black, scorched, abandoned. Now it is blooming, all green, colorful, alive. "See? That is your doing. Muir called you Life itself. You give life to everything around you. You heal people." He puts his hands softly on her shoulders and strokes her arms softly. "You have healed me."

She turns her head towards him, questions in her eyes. "How?"

"Before I met you, I was broken."

"Sarah."

He nods, placing his chin on my shoulder and staring out of the window. "Sarah. I drank away my sorrow, my pain, worked myself into dangerous situations, hoping to get killed. My heart was broken. And then I met you. I felt better again. My heart was healed. I stopped drinking, or at least less. I became whole again. You healed me." he whispers into her ear.

"Really? You think so? Life itself?" She stares out of the window, smiling softly.

His hands trail upwards again, taking her hair in his hands, binding it together and brushing his fingers through it. She closes her eyes at his touch, allowing him to touch her. "I do not think so. I know so."

She leans her head back against his chest and sighs. All of her muscles that have tensed up so much are relaxing now, and everything seems lighter. "Eric, will you let me go change? I need to change out of this uncomfortable dress. I liked my old dress better."

"Before or after I ripped it? I am sorry about that." he grins mischievously.

She punches his arm and chuckles. "After. Don't flatter yourself." She says. He grins widely and releases her so she can change in her father's – no, _her _bathroom. When she is finally out of her uncomfortable dress, she finds her dress – the dress she wore in the forest when the Huntsman tore it – hanging there for her, washed, cleaned and repaired. Tears form in her eyes, she can feel them burn, as she looks at herself in the mirror with that dress. It reminds her of the time she spent practicing with Eric in the Dark Forest. For the first time in eleven years, she had had fun.

_ "You should keep your feet firmly on the ground, like this." the Huntsman says, positioning her feet with his right foot equally apart and pushing them into the hard ground. "Try to strain your muscles in your legs."_

_She tries to, immediately feeling burning pain in her legs. She bites her lip and ignores it the best she can. She holds the knife firmly in her hands like he showed her. Fingers firmly grasped around them, her thumb resting on her fist, the blade at eye height. "Alright. Am I doing this right?"_

_He circles her and nods appreciatively. "Yes, perfectly. Now attack me. Remember what I told you. Use my strength against me."_

_She starts moving, focusing on her muscles in her legs and arms. He uses no weapons, but she would bet that he won't need them. His arms alone look like they could kill a petite girl like her. He pushes forward, and she leaps back. She looks for a weak spot in his defense. _Remember what he said, _she thinks_, no matter how good one is, there will always be a weak spot._ So she looks and looks, until she thinks she has found one. Just below his right arms, there is an open spot, unguarded. She charges and fights furiously until the weak spot is open again and she stabs forward. _

_He grabs her arm and grins. "Very, very, very good. You are a quick learner."  
_

_"I am learning from the best." She says panting.  
_

_"Why thank you, miss."_

She smiles at the memory. That was before he knew who she was, before everything changed so fast. She turns away and walks back to the room. The Huntsman is lying on the bed, his eyes closed with tire. She smiles again and lies down next to him. He opens his eyes and smiles at her.

"This is much better." he says agreeing. "This is more...you."

"Why thank you, sir."

He grins and pulls her in his arms. "So, that trick I taught you, worked really well, did it not?"

She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes and rests her head against his chest. "Yes, very. It helped me kill Ravenna." She feels warm and safe in his arms, and he strokes her hair ever so softly, as if she is something precious that can break as easily in his arms. Which is most likely true. "Thank you."

"It was my pleasure." he whispers, stroking one rough but tender finger along her cheek. She shivers and smiles. "Go to sleep, my Queen. It's been so long since you've had a good night's sleep."

She feels herself drift off, but she still finds the energy to talk. "If you do not count – you know, the being _dead_ part."

He chuckles low in her hair. "If you do not count that, indeed, milady. Just go to sleep. I will protect you. Even in your sleep."

She pulls his arms tighter around her. "I know. Goodnight, Eric."

"Goodnight." he whispers. Her head grows heavy and her eyes close and then she falls asleep in his warm arms.

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**Okay, thanks to my first reviewer, I have revised my story a bit. Feel free to correct me, I'm pretty new at writing in a style like SWATH's - specially the way they speak and all that. Thanks!**


	2. Chapter II

**So, second chapter! I can't believe how many reviews I've had in such short time. Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy this last chapter, too! I know it's a bit short, but I'm having trouble writing from Eric/The Huntsman POV.**

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**II**

The Huntsman watches her fall asleep and feels a warm sensation in his body. A light of some sort, spreading from his heart to the rest of his body. He loves her. Really, truly loves her. He looks over her head to the stars, connecting to Sarah.

_I'm sorry. I love you. But I have to move on. Forgive me. I know that it's what you would want._

He leans his chin on the crown of her head and sighs. He wonders if Sarah really would want him to move on. Probably. Sarah was so kind, loving, supportive of everything he did. She would want this, he's sure of it. His fingers stroke her hair out of her face. Her beautiful, black hair. Then down her cheek to her red lips. He remembers what his father had said about the Princess, before Ravenna.

_"She has skin white as snow, lips red as blood and hair black as ebony. The fairest Princess this land has ever known."_ He had been right about that. The fairest indeed.

_"By fairest blood __was it done, and only by fairest blood can it be undone." _The prophecy about Snow White. It had always intrigued him, never really understood what it was about. Until Snow White had stabbed Ravenna. Then he understood. Snow White was the only one who could break the Spell from Ravenna's mother. And so she did. He had had to watch how Ravenna was throwing Snow White all over the room, and he couldn't do anything about it. But then she'd had her opening, her one shot to take out Ravenna, and she did it. She used his trick to stab Ravenna right into the heart. And Ravenna died. He can't describe how proud he felt when he saw that happening. How she killed her stepmother with what she learned from him.

"No...no, please, don't..."

The Huntsman looks down in surprise at his Queen, his beautiful Snow White, who's now rolling her head violently from side to side, her eyes moving rapidly behind her eyelids, a deep from on her beautiful forehead.

"No, Father, no!"

Her father. Understandably, considering everything that has happened in the past few days. Tears flow over her cheeks now, but she is still asleep.

"Leave him! Father, please!"

He's had enough. He can't stand this pain of hers. "Snow! Snow, wake up! Milady!" He grabs her shoulders and shakes her to wake her up. She opens her eyes, her eyes huge with fear. "You're alright now. Nobody is going to hurt you, I promise."

She stares into his eyes, and then throws her arms around him. "Oh God. Oh God." She murmurs.

"It's alright now. You're safe. You're alright." He soothes softly, pressing her head against his chest. "What was it? Tell me."

She sobs softly and when she speaks, her voice is weak and shaky. "It was_ that _day all over again." She whispers, and the Huntsman knows exactly what she's talking about. The day Ravenna killed her father, the day that began eleven years of solitude. "Only this time...this time I was there. T-there when my father was m-murdered, there when m-my guards were s-slaughtered. Like I w-was floating, jumping in b-between the scenes. Then I was me, and I-I was taken by R-Ravenna's guards again. Oh, Eric, I was so s-s-scared!"

He closes his eyes with worry. He doesn't want her to be scared. He wants her to be happy. "I know. I know. What can I do? Tell me. What can I do?" She shakes her head and just buries her head in his chest and sobs. He strokes her hair softly and rocks her gently. He can't do anything, that is what troubles him. All this time he has protected her from physical threats, but when it comes to the mind, he is just as lost as she is. "I wish I could take it all away for you, milady. I wish I could I take all your burdens, so that you would never have to feel pain again."

She smiles and looks up to him with teary eyes. He strokes the tears away with his thumb. "That is very sweet of you. But you can't. I am Queen now. You can't protect me forever, Huntsman."

He stares down at her. Since when is it "Huntsman" again? Her eyes have changed, too. And then he understands. She's made up her mind. She's not going to choose him. "I know that. I know that, believe me." He says curtly. He might as well take his distance from her now, so that he will not get hurt again.

She frowns, her eyes tearing up again. "What is it? What's wrong?"

He shakes his head. He will stay by her side no matter who she chooses. He will protect her, even if she doesn't want him to. He'll protect her from a distance. "Nothing, milady. Go back to sleep. You're going to need it." The Huntsman can see that she feels that there's something wrong, but she still wants him to hold her, so he will. She nods and buries her face in his chest again, slowly drifting off to sleep again. He sighs. He should have known. He should have known that she would never choose him. Why would she? She can marry William, she would never choose a mere Huntsman! What does he have that William can't give her? A sudden rush of hatred towards William courses through his body and he gasps.

What, in the name of everything that is holy, was that? He has never felt something that powerful. His heart's beating a mile per minute and his breath comes in shallow bursts. He _hates_ the Duke's son. He deeply, truly _hates_ him. Not because William's a man you easily hate, but because she has chosen him over the Huntsman. _How could the Duke's son take her away from me? How dares he?_

He closes his eyes and tries to calm his breath. _Oh, Snow...Snow. I love you. I will fight for you. I will. Until you finally make a choice._

The Huntsman strokes her hair and takes a deep breath. He has to sleep right now, too. Or he'll be in no state to fight for her. He focuses on everything but his pain, his sorrow. His head grows heavy and his attention slipping away. To sleep...with no worries...sleep...

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**Oh by the way, I have a few major test at school coming up, so if the third or fourth chapter takes longer, _please_don't burn me alive!xD**


	3. Chapter III

**Okay, so, here's chapter III! I've had six out of eight of my tests, so pretty soon, I can start wrting more. I love writing tension. I'm maybe not so good at it as I hope, so feel free to give suggestions. Reviews can change the outcome of the entire story! I'm glad I've had this story to focus on as a distraction, btw, because I flunked my very first test big time. I got a 4.8, which is a D, while I studied on it for two full weeks. Anyways, you don't have to be bothered by that, just enjoy my next chapter!**

**Love, Lily**

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**III**

Snow White opens her eyes and a feeling that's somehow connected to the Huntsman, boils in the pit of her stomach. His arms are wrapped tightly around her, keeping her safe. Keeping her warm. She pulls his arms closer and closes her eyes again. She doesn't want to be awake. Not yet.

But the Huntsman has other ideas. "Good morning." He says softly into her ear. She shivers involuntarily. She can't do this. She can't be shivering at his voice. Not before she figures out how she feels.

"Good morning." The Queen pushes herself up and rubs the sleep out of her eyes. "What time is it? When do I have to be where?"  
The Huntsman chuckles, a low, attractive chuckle that sends another shiver down her spine. "Don't worry. I would've woken you if necessary. The Duke will come for you."

The Duke. He'll come for her. Oh God. Nervousness sweeps through her and she buries her face in her hands. "Oh my God, what am I going to do?"

He sighs. "We've had this conversation before, my Queen. You will do wonderful. I'm sure of it." He throws his legs out of the bed and gets up. Snow White gasps at his bare chest. He's so muscled. She turns her head away to hide her flushed cheeks and gets out of bed. "You have to get dressed."

She nods and disappears into the bathroom, washing and dressing into a dress that's beautiful beyond imagining. When she wears it, she sees her reflection, and her heart stops. She looks into the mirror, but she doesn't see herself. She sees her mother. The blue in the dress perfectly toning her white skin, the neckline is low, round shaped, alluring. This is a mirror image of her mother. She sinks to her knees, sobbing again. She misses them. She misses her father, her mother.

"Mother, Father...please...help me..."

There's a soft knock on the door. "My Queen, are you alright?"

The Huntsman. He believes in her with all his heart. She can't disappoint him. So there's no pressure. She rises to her feet, wipes her eyes and opens the door. "I'm alright."

He grabs her hand and stops her from walking past him. "You're eyes are red."

She sighs. "Eric, I'm really alright."

"You've been crying, Snow. Now tell me."

She sighs again and moans. "Alright, alright. I looked into the mirror, and I saw my mother. I am a mirror image of my mother." Tears form into her eyes again, and she takes a deep breath.

He smiles softly and puts a hand on her arm. "I'm sorry."

She relaxes in his arms unwillingly, but her mind doesn't have a say in this. Her body reacts to his touch involuntarily, as if it thinks for itself. He wraps his arms around her and sighs. "Thank you." She whispers. Her body grows warm when his fingers trace over her arms and she closes her eyes.

_Wait, what are you doing?_ She says to herself. _What is this?_ She opens her eyes and shakes her head. "Release me." He holds her tightly, and she starts to struggle. "Please, release me." She pleads. He releases her and smiles.

"Of course, milady. Whatever you wish."

Snow White stares at him, not sure what he's doing right now. "Is there something wrong, Eric?"

"Oh, it's Eric now." He says sarcastically.

Her heart drops. Why is he so cold to her all of the sudden? "Have I done something to offend you?"

"Oh, no, not at all." He says rather loudly, taking a step back, his arms crossed. "It's just...first you kiss me, and want me to share a bed with you, and all of the you shift back to formality."

She stares at him, not seeing the problem. "We have had this conversation! I told you, I don't know what my true feelings are!"

"Yes, and I respect that! I do, really! But there's nothing wrong with letting me in your heart. Just as a friend, you know. Just because you don't know if you love me, does not mean that you can't be friendly to me." He sighs, calming down a bit. "I want to be your friend, Snow. I don't want the feelings I have for you get in the way of the bond that we forged through all those things we've been through."

She nods, now seeing how he feels. She has decided to distant herself from, because she didn't want to hurt him anymore than she is already doing. But that's obviously not what he wants. "No matter what – who – I choose, you'll stay? Even if it's just as a friend?" Somehow the word "friend" triggers something of a...negative feeling inside of her.

He smiles. "I will. I promise." But his smile doesn't reach his eyes. She hates what she does to him. How can she just let him string along like this?

"I'm sorry." She whispers, hanging her head. "I'm sorry that I'm hurting you so much. It was never, _never_ my intention."

He turns her around, cups her face in his hands and forces her to look at him. "I said I could wait. So I will. I can't let you lie to yourself. If you truly don't know yet, then I respect that." He strokes her black hair out of her face lovingly and smiles, now the smile does reach his eyes. "But know this: I will fight for you. I will fight for you until you choose."

The Queen can't help herself. She smiles. Like her childhood-dream. A knight in shining armour who'll fight for her no matter how much she hurts him. Actually, she has two knights, both fighting for her, both willing to fight for her heart. And yet she can't make a decision. She doesn't know whom she loves. "That is good to know."

Both the Queen and the Huntsman startle when there's a soft knock on the door. "Milady?"

"That's William!" She hisses. "Please, hide."

He looks at her. "Why? I said I'd fight."

"You can fight later, hide now." She says, sounding desperate. She locks her eyes with his. "Please. Don't embarrass me. I beg of you."

He sighs and nods. "How can I deny you?" He turns and gets into the bathroom.

Snow rearranges her dress and opens the door. The sight of William brings a happy smile on her face. "William."

"Hello, Milady." He says grinning. He pulls her into his arms and brushes her hair out of her face. "Are you feeling alright?"

She sighs. Is she feeling alright? "I don't know." She says.

He frowns and looks at her with worry in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

She can't tell him. She doesn't know why. She simply cannot tell him how torn she is between him and the Huntsman. By the way he looks at her, she deciphers that he is already believing that they belong together. "Nothing, really. A little nervous. First day of being Queen. I don't know if I'm ready for it."

He kisses her forehead and she closes her eyes at his touch. "You will do wonderful. I know it."

Strange. It doesn't feel as real as when the Huntsman had said it to her. She shrugs it off. It's probably nothing. "I thought that your father would be coming to get me."

"Yes. But I offered to bring you to the throne room." He offers her his hand and she takes it, blushing. Taking one more look towards the bathroom before the door closes, she sees the Huntsman, leaning in the doorway, locking his eyes with hers. Her blood flows to her head and she feels dizzy. His stare is intense and it holds more information than he would ever give her. He's never going to give up. He will fight for her. Until his last breath. "Wow!" William exclaims, when Snow White staggers. "Easy. Take it easy. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." The Queen says. "Just a tad dizzy."

"Shall we go?" He asks. Snow White nods and she lets William guide her to the throne room, where the Duke and her councillors are waiting.

"My Queen!" The Duke bows for her. "Have you slept well?"

"Yes, very well, thank you." Snow White bows a little, too.

The Duke smiles. "Do you need anything, milady? Something to eat, to drink, perhaps?"

Her stomach growls and she nods thankfully. "That would be great, yes."

"I'll get a servant to make you breakfast." The Duke snaps his fingers and a man comes in and bows for Snow.

"Milady." He whispers.

My eyes widen. "Christian?" The boy she used to know had grown to be a man. The boy had lived in the castle from his birth, he was the son of my very own nurse. Who got killed when Ravenna gained her power.

The man smiles at her. "Hello, Snow. I cannot believe you recognize me."

Snow smiles back and she embraces him. "I've missed you. How are you?"

"Better. I've been locked up in the dungeon for eleven years, I was almost dead, but since you came..."

"Life itself." Snow turns at the easy, low, attractive voice, her eyes widening at the Huntsman leaning in the doorway. Her heart skips when she remembers when he said that. "At least, that's what Muir said."

Duke smiles politely. "Huntsman. Welcome."

"Good morning, Your Majesty." Eric says, grinning deviously.

Snow decides to play the game along, to play oblivious to the fact that they had spent the night together. "Good morning, Huntsman. I trust you slept well."

"Very." He grins.

Oh God. Does he have to do that? "Good." She turns her attention back to Christian. "Sorry, Christian, what were you saying?"

Christian smiles. "Oh, just that I'm your loyal servant. From now until the very end."

The Queen smiles her brilliant smile at him. "Thank you, Christian."

"I'll go get your food now. Mr Huntsman, can I get you anything?"

Eric has an amused look on his face. "No. Don't inconvenience yourself." Snow hates how he acts right now. Christian bows lightly and heads back out of the throne room.

Duke Hammond makes a path to the throne. "Your Majesty. The throne is yours."

Snow White swallows when her eyes focus on the throne. That's hers. It was her Father's, then Ravenna's, and now it's hers. And she doesn't even know what to do with it. The power it comes with it. A slender arm circles around her waist and a soft, warm voice whispers in her ear, "You're supposed to go to it and sit down." Snow looks over her shoulder to lock eyes with William, his soft eyes resting easily on her, as if they are meant to rest on her.

Snow takes a deep breath, breathing the nervousness out of her, and walks towards the throne. She doesn't want to sit on that thing. It's her father's. She can't sit on it. But she has to. This is her place now. Her father would've wanted it. She turns and her eyes lock with the Huntsman. His mockingly mood has disappeared. He smiles encouragingly. "_I'll protect you,_" He mouths, "_Always._" That gives Snow the courage to pick up the skirt of her dress, turn and sit down. Eric smiles lovingly, that makes her head spin. Everyone bows to her, as if bowing to her father. Only the Huntsman remains on his feet.

"You should stop comparing yourself to your father, my Queen." He says, breaking the silence. My nervous smile disappears and I frown. Everybody straightens up and turn their heads to the Huntsman, who walks forward in a steady, confident pace. "I can see it in your every move, I can see it in your eyes every time they look at things that used to be your father's." Snow swallows as the Huntsman comes closer, until he's at her throne. "I mean no disrespect, but I know you. Better than most of the people in this room. I can see how your father's ghost is haunting you. You keep comparing yourself to your father and then finding yourself less than him."

William steps forward, concern in his eyes. "Is that true?"

The Huntsman's glare hardens when he hears his rival's voice, and Snow knows that the fight never ends. Even when he tries only to help her. "Well, Duke William, I'm surprised you cannot see, you've known her the longest."

"Huntsman..." Snow warns softly. Eric turns his head and smiles a half-smile. She can't stop him, not in this fight.

"I don't know what your problem is, _Huntsman_. But you have no right of speech here. You're a Huntsman, and you will bow for your Queen." William says venomously. "So, bow. _Bow_."

"William, stop it!" Snow snaps, losing her patience with both men. "Both of you, stop it. William, this man saved my life, he does not have to bow for me. And neither do you. Huntsman, you may have saved my life, that does _not_ give you the right to be rude to my friends."

Eric smirks and bows. "Of course, milady, I apologize." He is not sorry. Not in the slightest. He just keeps up his pretences for everyone else.

Duke Hammond stands in between his son and the Huntsman, addressing his Queen. "My Queen, I must press on the matters at hand here. We may have defeated Ravenna, but we have not yet exterminated her few followers, scattered across your lands. We have to find them and exterminate them."

Snow frowns. Exterminate? What's that supposed to mean? "What do you mean by 'exterminate', Duke?"

Duke cocks his head, questioningly. "What I say. Exterminate. To _kill_."

She shakes her head. "No. That's not how I want to do things in my kingdom."

"But, Milady...?"

She cuts him off. This is not what she wants, and this is how she refuses to do it. "I refuse to rule the same way Ravenna did. I get why they should be punished, but I want to do that in a just way. Whatever those people have done, I want them to get a fair trial. I'm not going to kill them without them having the chance to defend themselves. It's not right." The Huntsman smiles at her, and retreats to a far corner. She wishes he hadn't. She wants him to stay close to her. Protect her. Help her. She feels lost without him. Or maybe lost without guidance in general.

"You are fair and honest, Milady. As always." A grey-haired Councillor says. "I'm Councillor Chapman, I will serve you in any way I can, my Queen, like I did your Father."

"Councillor, I'm sure it's going to be an honour having you as my Councillor." She hasn't even been Queen for twenty-four hours, and her head's already throbbing. "Now, Duke Hammond, I want to track down these supporters of Ravenna, I want to capture them, and then I want them here. Alive."

"I will see to it that it is done, Milady." Hammond bows.

Snow smiles. "Oh, and you have my permission to use all the force necessary. But try not to kill anyone, that's an order." Hammond bows again and he leaves the room. William stays behind, looking up at her.

"What is it, William?"

"I was wondering if I could have a word with you. In private."

Snow rises, glad she can leave this chair. "Of course. Excuse us, everyone. I'll be back within a few minutes." She follows William out of the throne room. "Thank you for taking me away from all that for a minute."

William smiles, a brilliant smile. She can't help but noticing that she keeps comparing William to Eric. She doesn't like that at all. "Not at all. I wanted to talk to you. Apologize."

"For what?"

"For leaving you. That day. And in the tower. I should've known. I did know. Inside, I felt that you were still alive, and yet I didn't chase that feeling. And I hate myself for that. And I can't help but wondering if things would have turned out differently, between us, if I would have been the one to find you in that forest. And not the Huntsman."

Snow puts her hand on his arm. "Don't be ridiculous. The Huntsman is the only one who can find his way in the forest. You would've gotten irreversibly lost. And then I would've lost you."

"But he's so...cocky. So full of himself. He knows he saved your life multiple times and he's not afraid to show us that over and over again."

She shakes her head. "That's not what he's trying to do." She sighs. She can't tell him. She still can't. And she still doesn't know why.

"What is he trying to do? Do you know?"

She does. But she's not going to tell him. He'd kill Eric. And she doesn't want that. "No. But I know he's not trying to keep reminding us that he saved my life."

"How do you know that?"

"Because that's not how he is. Remember, I have spent a few days alone with him in that forest. I got to know him a little." Snow feels her cheeks flush a little bit.

William stares deep into her eyes. "Alright. I believe you. Now, something different. I want to tell you...when I saw you die in my arms...I felt completely lost. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't safe you. I couldn't hold you here. And I wanted to tell you something. Something I should've told you the moment we met again. I should've told you that I loved you. Always have. First when we were seven. And when we met again, I fell for you. For real. My heart was lost to your beauty, your strength, your kindness." He puts a hand in her neck, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I love you, Snow." Then he presses his lips on hers. She is so stunned at first, that she can't bring herself to reciprocate. Then her mind starts comparing again. How Eric's kiss is so different from William's. Warmer. More passionate. Eric's not afraid to hold back, while William is careful not to hurt her feelings, or even touch her other than his hand and his lips. Colder. More distant. Maybe that's the con of kissing a well-raised Duke's son. Too much manners. Not that she doesn't like manners, she does, but William is too gentle, too...appropriate. It makes her heart beat alright, but not like Eric's had. What does that even mean?

He breaks away from her. "I don't expect anything from you at this point. I'll wait for you." He strokes a strand of hair back behind her ear and smiles. Then he turns. He stops in his tracks, freezing. Leaning in the doorway of the throne room, is the Huntsman. He and William share a battle of stabbing looks, and then William walks away. He has accepted Eric's challenge, without knowing he did. Snow's eyes connect with Eric's again, and his eyes soften immediately. There are no words spoken, but there's no need. He knows what she's feeling, and he knows she's even more confused. Their glance is almost enchanted, but then he smiles, pushes himself off and returns to the throne room, leaving the Queen in the windy hallway, completely confused and with a worse headache then ever.


	4. Chapter IV

**Guys, I am SO sorry for the long time. I've been on holiday. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

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**IV**

Two months of being Queen and Snow White already has enough. The privacy has completely gone from her life and the difficult choices are killing her. And not only her royal choices. Her private choices are a lot harder.

Eric never gave up fighting. Not once. He and William clash regularly, on everything and nothing. Debating every decision taken by either one of them. And it's hard for her to admit, but she likes it. She likes how Eric and William are both fighting to claim her heart, but neither none is winning

But right now, she has to decide on a plan of defence. She leans her hands flat on the table in front of her, a chart spread out on it, her councillors plus William and Eric around her. "Where did you say the Rebels are positioned, Councillor Chapman?"

The bearded man steps forward and points to the village in the south. "Right here. They have positioned themselves throughout this village."

Snow bites her lip. "That's unfortunate. That village does not belong to my kingdom. I can't expect help from the villagers." She looks up at the company around me and she sees Eric grinning and playing with his axe. He's up to something."Is there something wrong, Huntsman?"

"Well, Your Highness, it may interest you to know that I am originally from that village."

"What?" asks she, a little angry. He could not tell her before she got the headache? "And you waited until now to tell me?"

He smirks. She hates it when he smirks. "You didn't ask me, Your Majesty."

William throws him a murderous look. "She doesn't have to ask to get answers, _Huntsman_. She is and always shall be your Queen. When there's something that concerns her, you _will_ tell her, whether she asks it, or not."

"Ah, well. Then maybe you should, too. I haven't heard you all day." Eric throws back.

William opens his mouth furiously, but Snow has had enough. "Stop! Can you two stop fighting for one minute? Please, I have a headache as much as it is."

Eric is the first to recover. "I do apologize, milady. I was out of line." He puts his hand over his heart and he bows.

William turns red with fury, because Eric beat him to it, but his voice is controlled. "I too apologize, my Queen. It shall not happen again."

She turns her attention back to the chart. "Yes, well, I doubt it." mutters she under her breath. There's a soft chuckle from the councillors. "Back to business, gentlemen."

William's Father, Duke Hammond, traces a finger past a dark road through the Forest. "It is my understanding that the Huntsman and yourself have travelled through this Dark Forest before. It leads directly to the village. We can send soldiers through the Forest, while the everyone else circles around the Forest, to try and take village."

Snow White shakes her head. There's no way she is going to send soldiers through that Forest. "No. That Forest is dangerous. There's only one man that can go through that Forest..."

The Huntsman groans. "No. I am not going into that Forest again, with all due respect, milady."

"I wasn't finished, with your permission, Huntsman." says she icily.

William shoots Eric a hateful look, and she sees the Huntsman turning red. She smirks at herself. She likes that. "I – I'm sorry, Your Highness, I didn't mean to..."

"I know, Huntsman. Just let me finish." He nods, blood rising to his cheeks. "I wanted to say that there's only one man who can go through that forest, AND seven Dwarfs."

"Of course!" shouts Eric, realization reaching his eyes. "I could take the Dwarfs in there, we could enter the village days before you. I could convince the villagers to help you." He plays with his axe thoughtfully, a sign that says he likes the plan.

The Queen nods. "That's the plan. With only one difference. I'm coming with you."

That statement releases a massive shouting of disagreement. "You can't go in that forest, milady!"; "That is way too dangerous!"

"I'm not going to let you go into that forest again, Snow." says Eric calmly. That's the first time he called her by her name in front of others. That means he means business. "It's way too dangerous, like the – man with the uh...beard...said." He looks apologetic at Chapman, who waves it off with his hand. "I'm sorry. But it _is_ too dangerous, and it is very important that you are safe."

William takes a deep breath and shakes his head. "For once, I agree with the Huntsman. It's too dangerous."

Snow smiles serenely. "No matter how glad I am you two _finally_ agree on something, I am still going. This is my kingdom, I have to be there. The Huntsman, the dwarves and I _will_ be going to the village to talk about a treaty."

The Huntsman opens his mouth. "But..."

"Eric, I _am_ going. Whether you like it or not."

The Huntsman shrugs defeated. "Fine. I give up." He sits down and rubs his forehead.

"What?" says William disbelieving. "You're just going to let her go through that forest?"

The Huntsman nods. "You may have known her since childhood, but I have gotten to know her the way she is now. You don't know her that way. When her mind is made up, she won't let you change it. The only thing I can do now is protect her as well as I can."

William shakes his head and rubs his face. "I can_not_ believe you are letting her do this!"

Eric jumps on his feet, his face flooded with anger. "You think I want to let her go? But as you have – so subtly – pointed out, she is my Queen, and I _can_not force her to do anything she doesn't want! And if you care so much what happens to her, then come with us!".

"I will!"

Snow White groans. They fight even when they agree! "Could the both of you please, please, _please_ stop arguing? I have _had_ it with this fighting between the both of you! I'm going to go with the Dwarves and neither of you are coming."

At that the two men starts arguing her loudly. "There is no way I'm going to let you go into that forest without any protection other than Seven Dwarves!" shouts Eric, hot-headed.

"I am going with you, whether you like it or not!" yells William, even louder.

That's what she wants. Both of them agreeing again. "Good. Both of you are coming then. Saddle my horse. I will be leaving at dawn." With that, she turns her back on everyone and leaves for her Chambers. Her head's spinning with tiredness, she needs to rest. Two months and she's no closer to a decision about whom she loves. William and Eric both have her heart right now, and she knows she can't keep doing this to the both of them. They are tearing her apart from the inside with guilt. She really, truly wants to choose, but she can't. She doesn't know whom she loves. Both are wildly attractive, and both care so much for her that they'd die for her. And both make her head spin, albeit in a different way. She changes into her night robes, lays down on her bed and closes her eyes. Her whole body is aching with tire and she feels her mind slip into unconsciousness.

She wakes up when she feels another presence in her room. She sits up straight and her hand wanders to her sword at the side of her bed.

"Don't bother." The voice soothes her and shakes her to the core. The Huntsman. What is he doing here? "I took it. I knew you would reach for it. It's right over here."

She looks straight into his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

He sits casually in the chair across of the bed, his head leaning on his hand. "I was watching you sleep. I couldn't sleep. I was too nervous."

Goose bumps shoot all over her arms and back and she shivers. She does _not_ like the idea of him watching her while she was defenceless against any kind of attack, physical as well mental. "Get out of my room."

He shakes his head and pulls a hand through his hair. "I have to talk to you. Can I, in some way, convince you not to go?"

She shakes her head, trying very hard to control her breathing and heartbeat. She barely has a thing on and she is alone with him in one room. Knowing him, it can't go right for a very long time. "No, you can't. I'm going."

He stands up and walks over to her bed, sitting down on the edge. "I don't want you to be in danger, Snow." whispers he, smoothing her hair. "I couldn't stand losing you. I couldn't stand losing anyone. Not again. Please."

She almost succumbs to his pleads, his desperate look in his eyes. But she shakes her head to clear it and stays resolute. "No. You won't lose me. I have a lot to do before I die. I'm going to die as an old woman, while my child is ruling this country in a fair, just way. Not before that. I promise you that."

All the sarcasm is gone and all that remains is desperation and love, which makes her feel weak. "Please. Please, Snow. I have to know that you are safe."

"I am safe." She places her hand on his and smiles. "You'll be with me. I trust you with my life."

He hangs his head and takes a deep breath. "Don't die on me. Just don't." He lifts her head, and presses his lips against hers. She wouldn't normally let him, for she's still uncertain of her feelings, but she can't deny him right now. She's seen his expression, how desperate he is. His muscled arms wrap around her waist and he pulls her flush against him, turning the kiss more passionate. _God help him_, she thinks, _Help him find his peace with Sarah's death. Help him move on. Please, God, help him._ His tongue traces her lower lip and she shivers. He suddenly goes rigid and he moves away. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to...I promised to wait...I'm so stupid...I shouldn't have come...I'm sorry." He rises and leaves quickly. She falls back on the bed, completely confused, overwhelmed and angry with herself. Why in the world can't she make a choice? She hurls her pillow through the room and buries her face in her hands. It shouldn't be that difficult. Just pick one, William or Eric. Both will be good to her. Maybe it's that easy for her, but she'll no doubt hurt the other by choosing one. And she doesn't want that.

And even then, she doesn't know if she'll be happy with the one she chooses. What if she chooses one and then ends up being unhappy? She doesn't want to be unhappy. She has had her share of unhappiness. For two lifetimes. She falls back on the bed and stares at the ceiling. She has no idea what to do.

_**Eric POV**_

He leaves her room with a stone in his stomach. What has he done? He broke his promise to her, only because he felt desperate! Truth be told, he had hoped that she'd reconsider when he kissed her, but that still does not make it right.

Distraught, he wanders through the hallways, looking for nothing in particular, just his solitude, for a place where he can be miserable on his own. _Please, God, help her survive this, don't take her away from me, please_, he thought, looking up to the sky, hoping that if anyone heard him, they would relay the message to Him.

"What where you doing in her room?" An ice-cold voice shakes him from his thoughts. He turns quickly, his hand on his axe. William approaches him. Something in his stride has changed. No longer does it display nobility. No longer has it the patience it usually has. No, this is the stride of a man readying himself for a fight.

That is the reason that Eric doesn't take his hand off his axe. "What are you talking about, William?"

His eyes are flaming with anger, his face contorted. He's a bit scary this way. Eric has never seen him this angry. "Don't you pretend I haven't seen you leave her bedroom! What were you doing in there?"

"I was just trying to make her reconsider. William, don't be so..." But Eric never gets the chance to finish his sentence. William shoves him against the wall, one hand on Eric's throat, the other on his sword.

"Listen, _Huntsman_, Snow White is _mine_! She belongs to me, always has, always will be, just like I belong to her! You will _not_ come in between us, just because your kiss woke her!"

Eric did think about letting William reign in this case, but that doesn't sit well with him. With one flick of his arm, he pushes William off with so much force, that the Duke's son trips and falls. He's back on his feet and draws his sword. Eric steadies his grip on his axe. "I never intended to come between you two! Trust me, I will never counter her choices! Problem is, she hasn't made her choice yet! She doesn't know what – _whom_ – she wants! And I promised her that I would wait! And I will!" William lashes out furiously, but Eric spins away and draws his axe. He doesn't want to hurt William, but he won't let William defeat him. Eric's pride is too big for that.

"Then why did you come out of her bedroom? Well?"

"I didn't lie to you when I said I wanted to change her mind!" Eric shouts, furiously, still blocking Williams blows.

"Why did you go there in the first place? Don't you understand that she's mine?"

Eric has had enough. He punches William square in the face, tackles him and holds his axe to the Duke's son's throat. "I will not force a choice on her." he growls lowly. William doesn't move a muscle, afraid that the axe will bury itself in his throat if he does. This is normally not how the Huntsman works, but his anger has taken over. "But know this. She is nobody's possession. She is a free, independent woman, and, for all intents and purposes, your Queen. You _will_ treat her that way. Don't ever dare to say that she is _yours_. She isn't anyone's. The sooner you realize that, the better." He rises and puts his axe away. William starts to sit up, but Eric pushes him down with his foot. "Don't stand up until I'm out of sight. And don't ever draw your sword on me again. Because I can, and I _will_ destroy you if you do that again." He walks away, anger soaring through his veins. How dares he? Saying that Snow is _his_? Eric feels the urge to turn around and throw his axe in a place where William will sure feel it, and will be able to join the church choir as a soprano afterwards. But he resists that urge. He will fight for her, but not kill - or mutilate - her best, oldest friend. That's not how this game works. He has to be kind, gentle towards her. Making the choice easier for her, not impossible. He runs to his room, where he can sit in peace and think, to calm down. Because where he's headed now, he won't be able to return from if he lets it get out of hand. The blood pumps in through his body, his heartbeat drumming in his ears; he's outraged and he knows it. He knows the signs, he knows that it happens, he just doesn't know how to stop it.

He slams the door behind him and throws himself on the bed, burying his face in his pillow, nearly smothering himself. What, in the name of everything that is holy, is wrong with him? Why would he get so angry? There's no reason at all.

He loves her. Yes, that's one thing that is certain. He loves her with all his heart. He doesn't want to hurt her, but he wants her. He wants to be by her side for as long as she wants him. He wants to support her, to love her forever. And he wants her in ways he hasn't wanted anyone for a very long time.  
But why does it make him so angry? Why did he just almost kill William?

Well, he _was_ disrespectful towards her. She isn't anyone's possession. But that's not a reason to shoot into an outrage like that. No, there is something else at work her. Something dark, something driving William and himself into a crazy frenzy to kill each other.

Or he can just really hate him.

The Huntsman buries his face deeper into his pillow and moans. His thoughts are driving him crazy. Sarah was right. Thinking can be very dangerous. Thinking about anything but protecting his Queen right now is dangerous. So he just shuts it off. Enough practice in that area, no doubt about it. Protect his Queen. That's all that matters.  
He rises, a eerie calm coming over him. He knows his purpose, he knows his path. Into the Woods once again. With Snow. With his Queen.  
Danger is coming.


	5. Chapter V

**I am so sorry for the delay. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It was very hard to write for me, because I have much trouble writing from male perspective. Hope you enjoy it anyways. Thanks for all the reviews and especially to .xx who made me realize how confusing it can be if not explained well. If you find it confusing in anyway, please, do not hesitate to tell me, because it can help me too.  
And if you have any ideas on this story, don't hesitate to share, because it may effect how the story goes. Anyways, enjoy!**

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**V**

They are ready at dawn. The seven dwarfs, the Queen, the Huntsman and William. Packed with essentials and weapons, they head out straight for the Forest. William does _not _feel right about this, about Snow coming along with this, especially with the Huntsman around.  
Snow may not have noticed, but William certainly has. Eric the Huntsman is attracted to her. And he hates that idea. Sure, Eric was right when he said that Snow isn't anyone's possession. William knows that, respects that. But he has always been in love with Snow, even though he hadn't seen her for eleven years. You would think that that counts for something.  
From his point of view, all he can see from Snow is her back, with her long, black hair flowing down it. She is beautiful.

"I do _not_ agree with this!"

Snow skids to a halt, and turns, and William has to pull the reins hard to avoid her. "Gort, Beith, can you two please stop arguing? I acknowledge you did not want to come, Gort. I did not want to come either, but I have to. And without you, I can't go through this Forest." William feels a sting of jealousy when her eyes flicker to the Huntsman and their eyes lock momentarily and knows what she is thinking. She could've just gone alone with the Huntsman. He knows the way just as well.

Of course, William would've never let that happen.

The two dwarves turn their heads away from each other angrily but stay silent. Finally. William has had quite enough of them and their arguing. He had to ride in front of them all the time, and with the wind going due west – the way they are headed – he could hear every word.  
The fellowship starts moving again and William loses himself in thought again. He's changing. He can feel it. Something inside him has disappeared, something in his heart. Something that has always made him solely good and pure and honest and fair. The first sign of it was the outburst he had in the hallways of the palace, when he'd pushed Eric so violently against the wall. Then he found out that something was really wrong.  
And the second sign is right there. His annoyance with the dwarves. Never has he been annoyed by arguing. In fact, he likes arguing, especially when he can participate. But now it just annoys him.

"William? Did you hear at all what I just said?" Snow's beautiful, ringing voice pulls him out of his thoughts, and he immediately registers danger. The sun is gone. He gazes around. No, the sun is not gone. The trees of the Dark Forest put the surroundings in an everlasting shadow. He looks sideways, where Snow is riding next to him, with her perfect brows pulled up in worry and the corners of her mouth tipped up slightly.

"Sorry, Snow. I was just thinking about…things." He tries to smile, but the corners of his mouth tremble. What has happened with his smile? He has to force it. He's never had to force it before! "What were you saying?"

"I was saying that you look distracted. Are you okay?"

It comforts him that she feels for him. "I'm fine, I'm sorry I'm distracted. I should be paying more attention."

"That is fine, I am not really here either. I have got a lot on my mind."

William smiles, for real this time. "Being Queen is not all that amazing?"

"Try it one day," she says smiling, "you will see why I do not feel right."

William chuckles. "No thank you. I'll leave that to you."

Snow smiles lightly, sarcastically. "I knew I could count on you." In one moment, their relationship has gone back to normal. No tension. No unnecessary feelings. Just best friends. William considers that being enough for him when she speeds up a bit, riding next to Muir in the front, to discuss some tactics with him. Would it be enough for him? Just friends? No, not just friends. Best friends. They had always been best friends. What if something more would change that? Ruin that? He doesn't want that. But then why does his stomach clench every time he thinks of her? Every time she smiles, his head would go light. Why? If they're only meant to be best friends? It doesn't make sense.

"Duke William!" Ugh. Why? Can't he just leave William in peace with his thoughts? The Huntsman speeds up and comes riding next to William. "I feel the need to apologize. I lost control yesterday. I was upset, and angry with Snow because she had her mind set on going, and I am sorry for taking it out on you."

Ah. He came to apologize. That's another story entirely. For the first time, William can genuinely smile at the Huntsman. "I accept your apology and apologize for myself as well. I was angry, too, and when I saw you coming out of her room…I just lost it. And you were right. Snow isn't anyone's possession."

The Huntsman smiles at him. "I am glad you are not the prick you acted out to be."

William frowns. "Thank you…I think."

"No harm done?" Erik extends his hand towards William, offering a truce. "I would hate to let a possibly good friendship go to waste."

"Let bygones be bygones." agrees William, shaking the hand.

The Huntsman rides in silence for a while next to William and William wonders if he's got anymore to say. His wonderings come true after a good fifteen minutes. "Do you feel strange? Different somehow?"

William frowns. How would he know? "Yes. How do you know that?"

"Because I have been feeling different, too. The way I exploded yesterday. That's not the way I do things, and yet…I do them. It's like I'm out of control."

William gapes. That is exactly how he's been feeling as well. "I have felt the same way. Ever since the coronation. I'm normally not at all jealous, but now…every time I see Snow even look at you, my insides boil. That's not me. I'm not usually like that."

That visibly worries the Huntsman. His brows furrow and he strokes the blade of his axe. "There's something strange going on here."  
William leans his elbows in his saddle and stares at nothing in particular. "We should keep an eye on this. Try to find something off in others. I don't think this is happening coincidentally."

Eric nods in agreement. "Shall we work together on this one?"

William hesitates at first. That there has been found a reason for their behavior still does not mean he likes Eric. He still distrusts him. Because he knows that, whatever is going on here, does not affect Eric's feelings for Snow. They are real. But if he is going to find out about this, he is going to need help. And the Huntsman is a very skilled man, there is no denying. "Agreed." They shake hands again, sealing the deal.

"Let's keep this from Snow for a while, agreed? She has a lot on her mind right now, she can't use this."

That William knows. He stares in the distance for a while, examining Snow, while Muir slows down and lets his son, Quert, guide him. Keeping this from the Queen is probably not a good idea. But he would hate it if she got hurt. He nods and the Huntsman claps him on the back and speeds up, ending up next to Snow and making small talk with her. The monster of jealousy rumbles loudly in his chest, but he forces it to stay quiet. He has to stay in control of himself. If he has to fight for Snow's heart, he'll do it fair, honest. One corner of his mouth tips up. Yes. He'll fight. He'll keep the Huntsman as friend, to avoid too awkward situations, but he'll fight just as hard.

This will be very interesting.

**Snow White POV**

If Eric and William think that she hasn't seen the two of them whispering literally behind her back, they are seriously mistaken. When Eric comes riding next to her, she glances at him curiously. He pretends like nothing happened, and just talks with her casually. Her nerves are seriously being tested right now.

"Eric, what were you and William talking about earlier?"

He doesn't even blink. It either means that he is not lying, or that he is really good at lying. That is one part about him that she hasn't figured out yet. Is he good at lying or not? "Nothing important. Tactics. Who does what. That's all. And we settled things between us. We're on a mission where we have to trust each other."

Snow nods, and decides to forget it. For now. She has strong doubts about his sincerity, but she can't prove anything, and she's not going to order him around. She would never feel comfortable with that. "Do you trust me?"

He blinks this time, but with surprise and disbelieve. "You are joking, right? Of course I trust you. You more than anyone in this group."

Her cheeks flush and she smiles. "I am sorry."

"Stop saying that. If I were you and I had a choice between handsome and mysterious, and handsome and safe, I would seriously have the same problem as you're having right now." Is he serious? Or is he just being sarcastic? Because she can't tell the difference. He smiles at her, making her stomach flutter. "I promised you I could wait. And I still can. I know it's hard for you right now. You're new to being Queen. You shouldn't be bothered by stupid feelings. I'm trying very hard to make this as easy as I can for you." He takes her hand and pinches it, and her smile trembles slightly. This man is doing the exact opposite of what he is saying; he is making it very difficult for her to think properly.

"I know. I feel so guilty towards the both of you. I hate stringing you along."

He grins, then chuckles and pinches her hand again. _Dear God, make him stop doing that!_ "Stop. Just stop." says he.

"Stop what?" She wishes she could take her eyes of him, but his dark ones lure her towards him like moths to a flame. She cannot look away. Frankly, it stops her breath

"Stop apologizing. I do not blame you for anything."

Then he takes his eyes off her and the spell is broken. Her breath returns to normal and she blinks furiously to get the haze out of them. Another thing she can compare with William if she gets the chance. Does he have the same effect on her as Eric does? They continue in silence, Eric falling back after some time, and Muir coming up next to her again. "My Queen, is everything alright? You seem distressed."

Snow looks at the blind dwarf next to her and smiles. Muir has always helped her so much. And lying to him is no use. He'll see nonetheless. "I am fine, Muir. But my heart is in conflict with itself."

"The truth. Impressive. Not many people dare to admit that. You are brave, my Queen."

Snow blushes with that compliment. She has always liked it when people called her brave. Especially, because she herself cannot feel that bravery at all. "Thank you, Muir, my brave friend."

He encourages his horse and indicates that Snow must follow him. When they have taken a great enough distance from the rest of the group, Muir speaks again. "I have seen what your peril is about. You love them both with equal measure."

Snow sighs, relieved someone beside Eric knows. "I do. And I know it is wrong, and I would like so much to just make a decision. But I can't. Sometimes I feel so attracted to Eric, like when he kisses me and says that it's okay and that he'll wait, but then I see William and I just…William is sweet and caring and he will always protect me, and when he smiles at me...God, I can just melt when he does that. And…I don't know. I just want to find out my true feelings."

Muir sighs and stares ahead for a good amount of time. Snow wonders what he's looking at, seeing as he is blind. "I can see your trouble, my Queen."

Snow lets out a chuckle that has nothing to do with humor. It's more like a mocking chuckle. "Yes, you've said that. I just want to know if you see an end to that trouble."

"There's always an end to trouble, my Queen. One way or another."

Another riddle. Perfect. "Muir, please."

Muir chuckles and shakes his head. "You are as impatient as you are brave, my Queen. Patience is a virtue."

"In other words, you don't know what the end is."

Muir bows his head neither in agreement nor denial. "My dear Queen, these are things you have to find out about yourself. This is your quest, you're the one who has to complete it."

Snow sighs in defeat. She is not going to get anything out of him, that is one thing that is certain. "Alright. I give up."

Muir chuckles and puts his hand on his chest. "I am but a humble dwarf, madam. I cannot tell you anything more."

So he knows more. Maybe that gives her an opportunity later to figure it out all the same. "I surrender, Muir." That is the truth. At least at this point. So he doesn't think anything of it. Hours and hours of riding later, she feels her head grow heavy with tiredness and she stops the group. "We will rest here tonight." Everybody stops and gets unpacked and settled for the night, and Snow sets down against a tree. Secretly hoping that one, or both of the men comes sit next to her. But William doesn't, out of humility. And neither does Eric, out of respect for her need of distance. So it's Quert, Muir's son, who sits down next to her, his flute in his hand. "Quert, would you like to play a song for us?"

Quert's eyes start glimmering and he nods happily. He puts his flute to his mouth and starts playing. It's a cheerful song, and it makes Snow feel better at once. The dwarves start dancing and singing and Snow sits back, looking contently at her seven companions. She takes a sip from her water sack and her eyes cross William's. He winks at her, and her stomach turns. God, she needs to stop reacting to these two men. This way, she cannot make her decision. She takes off her crown and sets it next to her, sliding down against the trunk of the tree to get some sleep. But when she tries to put down the crown, someone grabs her wrists. She looks up, startled. William stands over her, holding the arm that would have set down the crown.

His eyes are worried, blue holes that suck her deep into his soul. "Don't set that thing next to you. Don't leave it anywhere unprotected. Someone might want to steal it."

She looks into his eyes and sees the truth in them. She nods and takes the crown in her hands, pushing it close to her chest. "Alright." He smiles at her and strokes her hair.

"Go to sleep, my Queen. We will watch over you."

Snow nods and closes her eyes, but all her senses are focused on William. She doesn't want him to stay here with her. It would be unfair towards Eric. She needs to be fair in this. Fair towards both Eric and William, if she wants to claim one of them for her own.

William seems to sense that she doesn't want him to stay. After a minute or two, she hears his footsteps move away from her and she takes a relieved breath. It would also make things much more difficult for her, to make a choice. Slowly, Quert's music starts to slow and the magic in it makes her head go fuzzy and her body warm and comfortable. Within no time, she sleeps. Her dreams filled with dark, alluring eyes that keep attracting her and blue ones that seem to suck her in.


	6. Chapter VI

**PLEASE, DON'T KILL ME! I'm sorry that this chapter is so short, but it's a preamble to the story. An unknown reviewer gave me this brilliant idea. Have fun and keep the ideas comin'! Love you guys and thanks for reading!**

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**VI**

There she is. On the black horse, riding next to the horror itself. The Huntsman that betrayed everything he is supposed to stand for. I watch her from my hiding spot, intently watching her. Like I am used to. I have always watched her. Every step of the way. And yet she does not appreciate me. But that will come to change very soon. Soon she will know I exist. Soon she will choose me over those two. Soon she will be with me forever. She will realize she loves me.

She is never looked so beautiful. The crown she wears suits her. Ravenna never wore it with that much flair and beauty.

Soon, that is all mine. I will take what is rightfully mine. Just a little more patience.

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**I'd like to thank all of you for reading and reviewing, it really helps! If you like Red Riding Hood 2011, I've written a one-shot on Peter and Valerie. !WARNING! it is pure romantic smut. Search for 'Not Some Fairy Tale's Ending', or go to my page. Maybe you can give me R&R.**


	7. Chapter VII

**Again, I apologize for the shortness of previous chapter. This one is quite a bit longer, the longest one I ever wrote in this story. Hope you enjoy it. I'm not very satisfied with the ending, though. Might change it up later.**

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**VII**

For days they travel through the forest. Eric and William always flanking Snow. Eric always leading them through the safest places. Whenever they rest, William teaches her the art of bow and arrow, and Eric teaches her to handle her sword even better.

"Everyone, cover your mouth and nose!" Eric suddenly yells and Snow covers herself with the sleeve of Eric's leather shirt he gave her when it got cold a while ago. For a moment, she lets his scent penetrate her nose and she closes her eyes, savoring it. Ever since their battle has been fought, he is clean. His shirt always washed, his hair always brushed. A surprising improvement. It makes him younger somehow. Snow looks at him from the corner of her eyes, and she sees that he's turning back to his old, filthy self, but she doesn't mind. His shirts are always clean. And that scent is what makes her shiver. Because that scent is _his_. It is just pure him. It makes her feel safe.

But it also reminds her of that night that she spent with him. And that makes her feel guilty. Guilty towards William. Guilty towards Eric. She gave him false hope that night. Hope she crushed immediately after that.

"Milady?" Muir stops next to her, and Snow notices she has stopped. "Is there something wrong?" Quert holds Muir's reigns and guides his horse, and both have their shirts in front of their mouths and noses.

Snow wants to say 'no'. But there _is_ something wrong. She feels that there's something lurking in the shadows, always watching them. "There's something wrong. Eric! William!" Both men hurry towards her.

"Snow? What's wrong?"

Snow turns her horse around, squinting her eyes against the rising pollen. It burns her eyes and her lungs, but the hallucinating effect does not occur. "There's something…" But before her sentence is finished, they are ambushed. People fall from the trees, jumping on top of the dwarves and the two men next to her. "Eric!" she yells involuntarily, when the Huntsman falls to the ground in a weird angle with a small figure on top of him. She demounts her horse and pulls out her bow and an arrow. "Get off him or I'll shoot you!" William rises next to her, pressing a small knife to the throat of the person who jumped him. He nods appreciatively at her, and she feels a little proud that she's finally holding the bow right. But the person does not get up from Eric. He lifts a knife, lets it shimmer in the little sunlight that creeps through the leaves and brings it down. Snow White screams and releases the arrow, the sound of it flying through the air chills her to her bones, and then it hits its target. A low grunt and then the attacker rolls off of the Huntsman. He's dead. She can see it's a he now, fairly young, not ugly either. Bile fills her mouth and she has to fight to not throw up. She just killed a young man. He probably has a mother, a father, brothers, sisters. Perhaps even a wife. And she has killed him.

Trying not to think about it, she runs over to the Huntsman, dropping to her knees beside him. He hasn't risen yet, which is fairly odd, seeing that William and the Dwarves are engaged in heavy fighting. Eric normally would not miss it for the world. "Eric? Are you alright?" He opens his eyes and smiles at her.

"You did it. Well done."

She doesn't agree, but this is not a time for arguing with him. "Yes, yes, but are you alright?"

"Dislocated shoulder." he grumbles. "It's not bad, you only have to help me get up." He puts an arm around her shoulder and smirks a little. Snow rolls her eyes.

"Don't flatter yourself, Huntsman." she says, letting him have his support on her and pulling him to his feet.

He laughs and then his face distorts in pain. "Careful with the goods, there, sweetheart." Snow rolls her eyes again. She doesn't like his innuendoes. At all.

Suddenly, all the fun disappears out of his eyes. "Snow, behind you!"

In a lightning-fast reflex, Snow grabs an arrow from its sheath, aligns it with her bow while turning and shoots it right at the person who is running towards her. He slumps together not a feet away from her. Her heart beats violently. Another person dead because of her. She turns to the Huntsman, who is watching her with admiration and surprise. "What?" she spits.

He shakes his head. One arm hangs uselessly at his side. "Nothing. That was just…pretty amazing what you just did."

She blushes and smiles. "Thank you. Now, how do we mend your arm?"

He grabs his dislocated shoulder, closes his eyes, bites his lip and then gives it a sharp push. Snow cringes and gasps at the crack that it gives, but then Eric is already opening his eyes and smiling. "Like that."

"Does that not hurt?" she asks, a bit repulsed.

He shrugs, taking out his axes and turning to the fight. "A bit. Come on, we've got to help, milady."

Snow takes out her sword and follows the Huntsman quickly into battle. She may be Queen, but she will not stand by and watch how her friends fight. If there's a fight and if she can help, she will. Dodging the sword that gets swung at her, she raises her own and it slides right through the man's body. Another man dead. If she could only stop this madness.

Then she gets an idea. "Eric, William! I need your help!" Both men make their way towards her, fighting though the dwarves. They are outnumbered by far. "Have you seen some kind of a leader?"

Eric nods, throwing his axe into the chest of an attacker and wrenches it loose after a moment or two. "Yes. The man that is fighting Quert and Muir. About Muir, how in the world is he able to fight?"

"He may not see, you moron, but he can hear better than all of us put together." growls Gort, while fending off two attackers at once. "And maybe you could do something for yourself, instead of standing there, chatting."

While Gort holds his tirade, he can't see another man sneaking up on him. Only when he feels an arrow whizzing past his ear, he turns just in time to see the man sinking to his knees, an arrow sticking out of his chest. Snow has the bow still aimed at where the man once stood, her hands trembling. "You were saying?" says the Huntsman to Gort, who turns red and leaves the three of them alone to aid his fellow dwarves in battle. Snow lowers her bow in dismay. Three men. How could she? "What is your plan, my Queen?" asks Eric, while throwing an axe over her shoulder, killing another man.

"Could you stop killing?" begs Snow, but Eric shakes his head.

"Sorry, sweetheart. If these men kill me – or worse, kill _you_ – I would hate myself forever. Especially if they kill you." At his words, Snow's heart swells, but she doesn't let it on. It'll only give him hope. And that kind of hope can destroy everything he ever stood for, in the battle for her heart. It can destroy her friendship with both William and Eric. Which she doesn't want.

Wait a minute. Did he just call her _sweetheart_? Bastard.

It would be so much easier if she could just feel for William what the entire kingdom wants her to feel for him.

"Alright, fine. But we need to capture that leader. We could hold him hostage to make the others stop attacking." She seeks for approval, but both men don't answer. Both are already running towards the man fighting with Muir. Rolling her eyes at their eagerness, she pulls out her sword and starts slashing at enemies that keep pouring from the trees and the bushes.

"Take the Queen!" someone shouts, and at that, Eric and William turn and shout something at their Queen, but thanks to a roar from above her, she can't hear. She looks up and sees a glimpse of body falling from the tree on top of her, and then she passes out.

_"We've got them!"_

_A scoff. "Right. It's not like you're forgetting anything." Is that William?_

_"What?" a harsh voice responds and Snow's hair is yanked upwards. Pain._

_"I wouldn't do that, if I were you." says William, not sounding uncomfortable or worried at all. What in the name of the Lord is going on here?_

_"Why?"_

_"Because I'm right behind you, you idiot." That's definitely Eric. Only he can sound so relaxed and angry at the same time._

_A scream. A thud. Several more screams. Total silence._

"Snow? My Queen?"

Snow groans at the pain in her head and she closes her eyes harder. She doesn't want to wake up from this painless dream. "Go away."

A chuckle. "Milady, you have to wake up."

Then everything rushes back to her, lightning fast. The attackers. The killings. The man dropping on top of her. The strange dream with the harsh voice. Her eyes fly open, and she finds herself looking at a thick foliage. Eric's voice comes from right beside her when he says, "Welcome back to the world of the living, your Highness."

She looks sideways and when she meets his eyes, she can't contain herself. She flies around his neck, now realizing that the dream had not been a dream at all. It had been real. He'd saved her. "Thank you." she murmurs.

"It was William's idea." says Eric, humbly. "When you were caught, everyone surrendered to avoid losses at our side. But William pushed me into the bushes, warning me to stay put until he gave a signal. When he did, I could attacker those men pretty easily. It was over fairly quickly. I let most of them go, but some of them refused." He looks down, away from my eyes and she already know what he's going to say. "I'm sorry, Snow. I had to. Their bodies have been buried properly, don't worry about that."

Snow shakes her head, resigning to the fact some had to die. She doesn't like it. One bit. But it could not be avoided. Then she hugs William tightly. "That was a brilliant idea, William. Thank you."

"Anytime." says he, rubbing her back. "Are you feeling better?"

She releases him and starts looking around more. Counting the dwarves. Beith. Muir. Quert. Coll. Gort. Nion. Wait. That is six. "Where's…where is Duir?"

Eric and William both lower their eyes and shake their heads. "I'm sorry, Snow." whispers William.

No. No, no, no, no. Not another dead body. "No. No, please. God, no. No, no, no." She buries her head in her hands and starts to cry. "This can't be happening." Two strong arms wrap around her and start rocking her.

"It's okay." William. How can he say that? It most certainly is not okay! "I'm sorry, that was a stupid thing to say." His arms are warm around her body and she leans into that warmth. She doesn't care. She needs this warmth. Burying her face in his chest, she cries softly. Softly, because the dwarves do not need to see her crying.

"It was." sounds Eric's calm voice.

"Eric…" the Queen begs, but her voice is too feeble, too drown out by the tears to stop both men from launching themselves in another fight.

William tightens his arms around her as if to protect her from the Huntsman. "Huntsman, not now. Can you not see that your Queen is upset?"

"What have I done?" Snow White whispers. "This is all my fault. All those dead…I never should've brought them here…we should turn back." Shaking her head in William's chest, she takes a gulp of air to steady herself. But it doesn't work. Tears keep flowing.

She feels Eric moving closer to them, and William half-turns away from him, shielding her from him with his body. But Eric presses on and then his big, warm hand rests on her back. "Snow? Look at me." William sputters at his demanding tone, but Eric ignores him. "Look at me."

Reluctantly, but unable to resist his soft but commanding voice, the Queen lifts her head and looks at him. His eyes graze over her. She knows she should feel uncomfortable at his touch, but she doesn't. It is actually kind of pleasant. "Duir died fighting for you. He gave everything of himself for everything you stand for. Do not taint his memory. Keep doing what you're doing. He would've wanted you to."

Snow sits up straight and wipes her eyes furiously. "Duir died defending me while I did nothing! It's not fair. I should be the one that died!"

Both Eric and William go rigid. "No!" says William, who refuses to let her go. "Don't say that. Don't ever say that again! I just got you back. Don't let me lose you again."

Snow shakes her head. "So many people have died for me. I never wanted that."

Eric nods and sighs deeply, this making him look more serious than he ever is. "I know. But they did. All of your people, everyone here, me, and if I may speak for you, sir William, William here too. We are all willing to go to whatever end to bring peace. To end this war. To keep you on that throne. Don't give up. It would only shame the memory of all those who've died for this cause."

Snow White lets the silence that follows Eric true words engulf her. He is right, of course. He is always right. How can a Huntsman be so clever and true in his heart? She would've never thought that the first time she'd met him, with his shirt crumpled and dirty, and him smelling like sweat and alcohol. But his eyes are clear now, resting upon her with love and admiration in them. He's meaning every single word he says. "You're right." whispers Snow. "You are absolutely right. I apologize for losing myself in sorrow like that."

Then Eric surprises all of them, including himself, by leaning in and pressing a kiss on her lips. Tender, caring, not demanding anything. William jumps up, causing Snow to topple backwards, for she had still been leaning in his arms. "What do you think you are doing?"

The Huntsman smiles at Snow, a sad and comforting smile at once, and she knows it wasn't a love-kiss. It was a comfort-kiss. A proud kiss. A kiss that can happen between two friends. Family. Then he rises, meeting William's enraged glare, but not before extending his hand towards the Queen and helping her to her feet. "I was expressing how proud I am of her. She is just eighteen and already handling the problems in her Kingdom – excuse me, _Queen_dom. That had nothing to do with my feelings towards her. Please don't tell me you don't feel that too." There's a hint of contempt in his voice, but his face betrays nothing else.

William sighs and shakes his head. "Oh, I can't believe I'm actually falling for this." He takes Snow by her shoulders, turns her presses his lips against her cheek. "I am proud of you, Snow. You should know that." Then he turns back to Eric, anger crossing his face. "_That_ is how you kiss someone when you're proud of them." Then he walks towards the dwarves, who are all surrounding Coll, whom Duir followed everywhere. Coll looks defeated and pained. He just lost his brother. No wonder he is so upset.

Eric turns to Snow, an apologetic look on his face, his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his pants. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have."

"I know it was not meant that way." says Snow, smiling. She walks up to him, puts a hand on her shoulder, pushes herself up and pulls him down so that her lips brush past his ear. "But he is right. What he did _was_ how you kiss someone when you're proud of them."

He softly puts his hand on her back and she shivers. "I know." She looks up to him, eyes wide with shock. He _knows_? He did it on purpose? He grins, a grin that gives her heart a day's job to keep beating. "I told William it was because I'm proud. And it partly was. But I know I can trust you enough to tell you that it was a bit more than just pride."

Snow shakes her head. "I thought you said you could wait."

He rolls his eyes. "Alright. So I have a little difficulty adjusting to the situation at hand. What are you going to do?" He brings his face closer to hers, his eyes swallowing her deep into his soul. Her breath stops. "Sue me?"

Snow swallows hard and takes a much-needed gasp. "Don't forget I am still your Queen. I can have your head for less." Is she threatening him now? Can she sink any lower?

He smiles, not the least bit worried by her threat. "No, you like me too much for that." Then he turns away and starts walking towards the dwarves as well, and Snow takes a much-needed breath. When did she start holding it in?

God, what is he doing to her? Her heart is beating frantically in her chest, and she can't figure out why. Is it fear? Excitement? She doesn't know. Beating herself up inside, she walks over to Coll and kneels down beside him. "Coll?"

The blond Dwarf looks up to her, tears in his eyes, tears he tries to fight desperately. While he just lost his brother, he still tries to be the toughest of all. "I apologize, my Queen." he grumbles.

Snow shakes her head, her face confused, but in reality, she knows what he's apologizing for. His crying. "For what, Coll?"

"For losing myself like this. I – I shouldn't."

Now Snow sighs. "That's right. You shouldn't. You shouldn't apologize. You just lost your brother! You have every right to feel sad."

The dwarves retreat a bit, leaving Coll and Snow alone. Snow holds out her arms, and now that the other dwarves aren't there to see it, he launches himself in her arms and seeks comfort in her warm embrace. "I miss him, milady." he says softly and Snow nods, silent tears now streaking her own cheeks. "I miss him so much."

"I know." says the Queen. "I do, too." She stokes his tangled hair and rocks him until he calms down enough to sit up straight. "But we have to go on. For Duir. He died to protect you. To protect all of us, to ensure that we go on. Let's do just that." The dwarf looks up in her face, tears slowly drying, and his expression turning steady.

"Yes! I will follow you everywhere, milady. Duir would have wanted me to."

Snow smiles at him and stands up, brushing dirt from her knees. She is glad that she chose her "forest"-dress, as her dresser had called it without trying to hide his contempt for it. It is short enough to not be in the way when in a fight and long enough to protect her knees and upper legs. She takes her horse's reigns and starts towards the direction they originally intended to go. Why is her head throbbing like that? "Alright. We continue! Eric, how much longer until we reach the edge of the forest?"

"Two days, at most." says Eric, appearing from behind a tree and putting his axes back in their holders. "But we're not continuing."

Snow raises her brows, surprised at how he so easily keeps opposing her. "Excuse me, but…"

But now William puts his hand on her shoulder and she looks up to him, only to find him with the same expression as Eric. "He's right. Too much has happened. We rest for the rest of the day. And no, even your power as Queen won't stop that."

Snow looks around, and sees that the dwarves are still drowned in grief, and Eric's eyes are heavy with sleep. William, behind her, is fighting a yawn. And when she starts to look inside herself, she finds herself tired and worn. Her head is still throbbing. "Alright. We'll stay. Only for one day. We have to get to that village. And fast. We don't know what the rebels are doing with the people there." She gets her horse back to its place by the trees and sits down. Her head is throbbing more severely now. "Eric?" she calls softly. He crouches down next to her, a worried look in his eyes. "What happened? I mean, what did they do to me?"

He frowns and puts a hand on the back of her head. His fingers trace her skull lightly and then they find the source of the pain, enhancing in times three. She flinches, and Eric pulls back, concern plastering his face. "They hit you over the head. Hard. Then they yanked at your hair to show you off. But…you've got a huge bump on your head, it's almost abnormal."

Snow's head turned heavy and she moaned. "What does that mean?"

"It means that they hit you pretty hard. It means that you should lie down." He guides her down and she lies her head softly on his arm. "Does anyone have any clue on how to treat a bump?" he calls over her head, and then Snow feels his fingers on her forehead, stroking her hair out of her face. But she can't see. Her eyes won't open. "You're going to be alright. You hear me? I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Alright?"

She nods. "Where's William? And the dwarves, where are they?"

"They are right here, sweetheart. Don't worry."

She feels someone crouch beside her and put a hand on her forehead. "What's the matter with her?" It is William. She smiles softly and she can almost hear him smile.

Eric sighs above her. "I think it is a minor concussion, but I'm not certain. She needs to rest for now."

William growls and Snow can feel him sitting down next to her and Eric. Which makes her a little uncomfortable, because she's not far from slipping away into the unconscious world – in Eric's arms. "And is there a way for her to do that _not_ lying in _your _arms?"

Above her, Eric groans. "Come on, Sir William. This has nothing to do with me or you. I am just taking care of my Queen. Anyone else would do that."

"William. Please." Snow says softly, and she feels both men look down on her. She opens her eyes and the entire foliage swims before her eyes. She closes them quickly, pinching the bridge of her nose against the headache that grows. "Just…don't fight. Not now."

He puts a hand on her forehead and then recoils, gasping. "She has a fever." he says, now honestly sounding worried. Now she feels Eric's hand on her forehead and he gasps too.

"Oh Snow." he says, stroking her hair back. Now Snow really is beginning to feel the effects of the fever. She feels so cold, but her body is sweating heavily, mimicking the effects of extreme heat. "Here, Snow." Eric puts his blanket over her, and then William puts his own over her.

"No." she protests feebly, trying to push off the blankets. They both need their blankets, at night it can turn cold.

"Yes, Snow. You need to sweat this out quickly." says Eric.

"But…but you…" She can barely get her words out right.

William puts his hand over her mouth, she can feel it is his hand. It's a bit smaller than Eric's, softer, privileged by his life in court. "You have to, Snow. We will not take no for an answer."

Snow smiles. "Why is…" She swallows heavily. "Why is it that you two always agree on something when it isn't really important…but don't when it comes to important matters?"

She hears Eric chuckle and he holds her tightly against his chest. "You mean, we agree on everything that concerns your safety?"

She coughs and Eric helps her drink some water. "Maybe." She feels uncomfortably hot right now, with the two blankets wrapped around her and Eric holding her against his warm body.

"Go to sleep, my Queen. We will watch over you." Eric strokes her hair and face and, with his heartbeat near her ear, she cannot _not_ fall asleep. Therefore she sleeps within minutes. Her sleep is restless, neither awake nor sleeping. But all that time, Eric is there, holding her, soothing her when she thrashes away from a feverish nightmare. But rest is far away from her, and not planning on visiting her anytime soon. So she just tries to get her sleep, at least for the times she is able to get it, and all that time she feels Eric holding her, stroking her, soothing her, warming her up until the point she doesn't want to be warmed.

"It is going to be okay, Snow." she hears whispering next to her. She opens her eyes, lazily, to find Eric lying next to her. It's dark around, but the fire is still smoldering softly, emitting just enough light for her to see him. He smiles softly at her. "I am going to take care of you. You won't be sick for long." She opens her mouth, but her voice doesn't work. So instead of verbally thanking him, she leans forward, kissing his cheek. He nods, acknowledging that he's understood. "Go back to sleep, my Queen. I will not let anything happen to you." He strokes her eyelids closed and she sighs, snuggling against his chest. His scent washes over her and for the first time that night, she is actually able to sleep a few hours.


	8. Chapter VIII

**The tension continues...  
Thank you guys so much for all the faith you've given me by reviewing that you love it. I know this is a bit shorter than last one, and that some people like longer chapters, but I just felt like it had to end the way it does.  
Of course, any suggestions on how to make it better/longer/more exciting: please tell me. I will look at every single review and I will mention you if you've given me some brilliant idea.  
This is pointed directly to the guest who gave me this brilliant idea for a storyline: please sign up or use a screen name, so I can give you some credit for the idea!  
****Love you guys!**

**Lily**

* * *

**VIII**

The bundle of heat in his arms wakes him by whimpering softly, creasing her brows in a dream he cannot live or take from her to ease the pain. William sleeps only a few yards away, his hand clasped around the hilt of his sword tightly.

Eric looks down. Snow is sleeping still, her forehead covered with beads of sweat. The fever hasn't passed overnight. His poor little Snow White. He puts his hand on her forehead and gasps. She is even more burning up than before. He looks up, glad to find Muir up and about. "Muir?" he asks softly.

The blind, humble dwarf comes towards them. "Yes, Eric?"

"Can you get me a cool wet cloth for Queen Snow? I don't want to leave her."

Muir puts a small hand on her forehead and frowns. "What has she done?"

Eric shrugs. "I do not know. I think the forest is getting to her. We have to get out of here. She needs sunlight."

Muir nods and moves to get a wet cloth. When he returns with it, he puts it over her forehead and Eric is relieved to see that her frown lessens. "You are right. This is the forest's doing. It's too wet, too cold here. She's not dressed for it. How did you do it last time?"

Eric feels his cheeks burn. "Shared body-heat."

"From now on, share body-heat. Alright?"

Eric nods and pulls Snow closer to him. "I haven't seen her this messed up since she was _dead_. And she's still breathing now."

"Just a common cold, Eric. Nothing to worry about. She's going to have to ride with you. My son can take her horse with him." _Not so sure about that_, thinks the Huntsman, but he doesn't say anything. Whatever is causing his lack of control and William's lack of respect...maybe it is causing this, too.

Eric nods again and looks down to his Queen, sighing. "I don't know if I can stand that, Muir."

Muir frowns, obviously concerned a bit. "Why? Why would you not be able to stand that? She's your Queen. You owe her your allegiance."

The Huntsman shakes his head and buries his face in Snow White's hair. Should he lay his feelings out in the open? Should he tell the blind, all-knowing dwarf how this girl, this unique, beautiful girl, changes him? How she makes his heart beat faster, stronger? Just because he wants to live to see her grow more beautiful? Because he wants to live for her, to make her happy?

Well, why not? "That's not it, Muir. I love her. I love her more than I'll ever love anyone else. And I don't know how to hold myself back in my feelings. Because she loves me too."

"But she loves Sir William, too." Muir says, nodding his head.

Relieved with the understanding, Eric smiles and inhales Snow's scent. "Indeed. And she does not know what to choose. I promised I could wait, I _would_ wait. But it's getting harder and harder to control myself." He feels tears come up behind his eyes and blinks them away furiously. He can't cry. Not in front of a dwarf. It will make him look weak, and weak is not good with dwarves. "I love her too damn much, Muir. And I just can't help myself…" He presses his lips to hers softly and holds her and his face out of the dwarf's sight, so that silent tears can streak his face. "No matter what I do, no matter how…no matter how hard I _try_, I can't seem to fall out of love with her." He looks at her face, which has relaxed more since he started talking.

"Do not try to." says Muir. "You remember we've met before, but I've never seen you this… radiant. You've grown into a different man since you've met her. Do not try to fall out of love with this girl."

The Huntsman strokes a few strands of hair out of the Queen's face, now focusing solely on her. Seeing her smile when she feels his touch warms his heart.

"But what if she chooses him? I wouldn't be able to live with that."

Muir smiles. "That's called a broken heart, Huntsman. It hurts like hell. But it'll mend. It did before."

Now Eric turns to the dwarf, certain that his face is a solid mask against the tears. "It mended because of this girl. After her, I will not be able to find someone this special, this unique. No one else will be able to mend my heart like she did."

The old dwarf puts his head in his hands. "Then pray. Pray that she chooses you." Eric scoffs at that. God has abandoned him long ago. "And if you want my opinion… I think she'd do well to choose you." Muir rises and leaves Eric to his thoughts. The Huntsman tries to smile, but another rush of sadness comes over him. He presses Snow close to him and buries his face in her hair, crying softly, letting his sadness going away by holding her safely in his arms.

**Snow White POV**

Snow White shifts from her unconscious state into a half-conscious state, to find a soft, familiar, soothing voice right next to her ear. _"But what if she chooses him? I wouldn't be able to live with that."_ What is Eric talking about?

_"That's called a broken heart, Huntsman. It hurts like hell. But it'll mend. It did before."_ What are he and Muir talking about?

Oh no. God, no. Please, body, move. Let him know your awake, so that he won't have to continue. But the second she starts to exert herself, she passes out again. She dreams weird, about her and Eric, just alone, nobody else, nothing else, just the two of them. She smiles as he strokes her hair.

Then she comes back to consciousness permanently. For now. Her fever still burning hot. The moment she opens her eyes, the world starts to spin around her and she feels like she wants to throw up. "Welcome back." She looks up, and that earns her another rush of nausea. Eric smiles down on her and puts his hand on her forehead. "Quite a night you've had."

She smiles faintly, her eyes closing and opening slowly. "Yes. But I'm glad you were with me all that time."

He leans his head back against the trunk of the tree he is leaning against and sighs. "I am, too."

Around them, everyone starts waking up and William starts awake at her voice. "Hello." he says, smiling at Snow White. "How are you feeling?"

She smiles back at him. "Dizzy. Nauseous. Tired. Everything considered pretty good."

He laughs and strokes her hair. "Glad to hear it." He turns his attention to the Huntsman holding her. "You better have protected her well tonight."

Snow feels the Huntsman tense up and relax. "I would not be able to live with myself if I hadn't. I would've never taken advantage of her in this state. In any state for that matter." He stays relaxed no matter what William says. That suits him. It earns him a point. Not that she's keeping scores. Oh God, her head. She lifts her hand over her eyes to shield it from the blinding daylight.

"Alright then. Are we going to stay here longer?"

Eric shakes his head and Snow White moans. She does not like the idea of riding a horse in her condition. "No. We have to continue. Muir says that the Queen has to be back in sunlight very soon. The lack of warmth and sunlight combined with the moistness here is what is causing her illness."

"But…I don't…" mumbles Snow.

"Don't worry." he whispers. "I won't let you down. You can ride with me, Muir already offered to take your horse with him and his son."

That's better. A lot better even. "Thank you." She closes her eyes and sinks in a comfortable state of half-slumber, while she listens to the quarreling of the two men.

William sucks on his lower lip and coughs, as if thinking hard about something. "Alright. I will see that we get something to eat. After that, we leave. We ride until we're out of the forest."

"But that is…two days travel. We can't ride for two days with the Queen so sick." Eric protests and Snow wants to say that it's alright to travel two days if that means to be out of this cursed forest, but her mouth refuses to move. "We have to rest, we can't arrive exhausted in my village."

William sighs and there's a long silence. "Alright. You're right. We ride till nightfall. Then we sleep until daybreak. Tomorrow, we will ride until we are out of this damned forest."

Alright, that sounds reasonable. And the idea of being held all that time appeals to her. "That works for me." says Eric.

"My Queen, wake up." murmurs Beith next to the Queen, and her eyes flutter open.

"I am awake." she says, her voice croaking. She opens her eyes to the dark-haired, grumpy leader and smiles at him.

The dwarf hands her a cup of steaming liquid. Eric helps her sit up and she takes the cup. "Nion and I went hunting last night, and we found some deer. Nearby, we've found some eatable plants. Coll made soup from it. Eat it all, my Queen, it is good for you."

"Thank you, Beith." The dwarf rises and leaves his Queen and her two bodyguards alone. Her hands trembled when she holds the cup and Eric wraps his hands around hers to prevent from dropping the soup.

"Why don't you let William do that?" he says.

William, surprised at this sudden gesture of faith from Eric, takes the cup from her and puts it gently to her lips. She carefully takes a sip from the hot soup and shivers. "Good?" he asks gently.

"Yes. That is very good." She leans her head against Eric's hard chest and closes her eyes. Her head clears a bit, if only a bit, and her eyes can stay open for a longer period than half a minute. "Thank you." William and Eric get a cup too and when they are all finished, they pack and saddle the horses. Snow White half-sleeps throughout the process and wakes when someone shakes her softly.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty." She opens her eyes and looks up to Eric smiling down on her. "We are ready to go. Are you?"

She nods and he puts his arm around her knees and the other around her shoulders. She wraps her arms around his neck to steady herself while he carries her to his horse. "Am I going to ride with you the entire time?"

"If you want. Of course, you could go with William later on."

But Snow is too tired to comment on it. The moment he sets her on his horse and then gets behind her, his warm body protecting hers, his strong arms making sure she does not fall as he takes the reins, she literally passes out.

**Unknown POV**

The illness has taken hold. Good. That means she will pass into my realm soon. It means she will be with me. Her body will grow old and wither, but her life will stay young and beautiful forever. Like me. She will be with me forever and always.

I grow weaker by the day. To keep this illness inside of her at all times, I have to focus all my energy on her. That exhausts me. But once she is with me, my strength will return times three. That is what has been promised to me.

And those dwarves and the humans are not helping either. They keep fighting her illness, trying to keep her in their world. A world she does not belong in. If they would just let her go. It would make it so much easier.

I have to keep paying attention. They are travelling again, moving away from my spot. I close my eyes and feel myself lifting and floating, following the fellowship of the Queen.

It is almost sad, you know. Just when this country has a fair and just Queen, I am taking her away. I know it is selfish. But I have been doing other people's biddings for my entire life. I always put myself second place. And from that I have learned. Now, I am going to take what _I _want. Even if I have to force it on people.

It does not matter anyway. Whatever happens to this Kingdom is irrelevant to me. I am dead no matter what.

So, my dear Queen. I am coming to get you. I will take you to my world and I will show you how you really deserve to live. How you should live alongside me. How you belong to me. I am coming for you.

You will be mine.

* * *

**Dum, dum, dummmmmm...(= dramatic piano music;))**

**Who is this possesive little creature? _What_ is it? I know. Some may have guessed. But it will remain a secret for a very long time(maybe not very long, but a little longer0_o)  
**

***some dramatic horror-movie whistling sound and exit***


	9. Chapter IX

**I am so sorry that this chapter took almost a month. I've been sick, and some other things that came in between my writing. So sorry, but I've had real trouble with this chapter, it was for some reason really hard to write. I officially don't like to write from William's POV.  
Well, I pray you enjoy it more than I've enjoyed writing it.**

* * *

**IX**

It is with great jealousy that William watches Snow and her Huntsman. She is pressed against his chest, his arm is wrapped securely around her and her head leans back against his shoulder. William wishes it is him who is holding her, not the Huntsman. Has she maybe already chosen and failed to tell him about it? Would she do that? He thinks she wouldn't. But...no. Snow will not do that. That is not how she is. She is sick and is just accepting every help she gets. And the Huntsman was first to be there for her. William should've been first to be there for her. He should've been the one to hold her like that. The Huntsman spots him watching with jealousy like that.

"I know you don't like this. But this is her choice. I didn't coerce her into this." he says.

William nods, suppressing his urge to get angry. "I know that, Huntsman. But you must understand that it hurts to see you two like this." When did he decide to admit that to the Huntsman?

"Do you think it did not hurt to see you kiss her? To hear her ask for you just moments after I told her I would not let anyone hurt her?" He sighs and looks down at the sleeping Snow White in front of him. "We both love her, William. We have to deal with that. I leave the choice up to her. But if she chooses you, I will leave you two in peace."

William nods. That sounds like a fair deal. "Alright. I'll do the same if she chooses you."

"Are...are you two talking about me?" The little form on the front of the Huntsman's horse moves and pushes the cap of her cloak off. The cloak was a gift from one of the nobles from the town at the most outer border of her Kingdom, given to her at her coronation. It is ebony black, much like her own hair and really warm. As a preservation, William had taken it with him only moments before they left. Quite a good decision, if he says so himself. Snow's face is flushed with heat and her eyes are clouded. She still has a fever.

"She is fading." Muir rides up beside the two men.

"Fading?" asks William. "Fading how?"

Muir looks at Snow, whose eyes are half-closed and her head falls to the side, her muscles obviously not working. "I do not know how. I can sense that she is fading. The forest is feeling it. The ground. The air is getting thicker. Fog has followed us for the entire day now. Look at her."

The Huntsman stops his horse and turns Snow's head towards him. He shakes his head when he looks into her eyes and William jumps off his horse, worry sweeping over him. The Huntsman is worried. And that worries William. Without exchanging words, the Huntsman lifts Snow off the horse and into William's waiting arms. When William looks into her eyes, he sees what Muir meant and what the Huntsman saw. Her eyes are open, but she does not reckon his presence. She just stares ahead, like she is blind. He sinks to his knees and settles her head in his lap, and he strokes her hair softly.

"Snow?" She does not answer. "Please, Snow, say something."

Her back arches and she moans. "What – what is happening to me?" she whispers.

Sighing in relief that she is still able to hear him, he bows his head. "I do not know, Snow. This is not just a common illness, I think." William looks up to the Huntsman, who slides off his horse and lands beside them with a thud. He repeats his thoughts louder and the Huntsman nods in agreement.

"That's just what I was thinking. Muir, can you see what is happening to her?"

"No." Says Muir. He slides off his horse with help of Quert and sits down next to the two men and his Queen. "But I can see that something is happening? I wonder how the land will look beyond the forest."

"Why are we stopping?" Nion stops his horse and looks down on five of his companions.

Muir stands up and sighs deeply, sounding very troubled when he speaks. "Snow White does not have a fever. Something or someone is doing this to her."

William suddenly feels tears sting in his eyes. If he is going to lose his Snow White to this silly illness...well, there is no predicting to what he'll do then. "Please, Snow. Don't leave me. Don't leave me alone in this world. I – I can't live without you in this world." He hears the Huntsman's breath hitch, but he can't care less about the Huntsman's feelings right now. Or any other time for that matter.

"B-blood...f-fairest blood..." murmurs Snow. He looks down. Is she losing her mind?

"What is she saying?" he says, hearing the pain in his own voice.

The Huntsman buries his face in his hands and takes a deep breath. "That's the prophecy. 'By fairest blood was it done, and only by the fairest blood can it be undone.' That's the prophecy made on Snow White and Ravenna, by Ravenna's own mother. Why would she say that?" He takes her shoulders and shakes her lightly. "Snow, can you hear me?"

"Mirror...mirror..."

William lowers his head and a desperate feelings washes over him. This is not good. "She is completely delusional. She has no idea where she is or what is happening."

The Huntsman nods and stands up. "We have to get moving. We have to get out of the forest. Whatever is happening to her, is happening because of this forest."

William can't argue on that. He rises, lifts Snow White on his horse and climbs on himself. "Hurry!"

They continue their trip at a gallop, to be out of the forest as soon as possible. Snow's temperature drops quickly as the day endures. William's worry grows every single moment. This just can't be good. The loss of self-restrain of the Huntsman and himself, Snow's illness, the people attacking them...there's something strange going on, something or someone is causing all of this. "Snow, you will be alright. Alright? I promise you, you will be better." She gives no indication that she's heard him.

Gradually, the trees start to stand further apart, start to look younger. And then they are out in the open, sunlight engulfing them. The horses stop in their tracks and William scans his surroundings. Behind him is the forest, but in front of him is the land known as the Land of the Horses. The best horses come from here. Normally, on top of the hills, one can see horses, grazing, playing, running. But now...no sign of life "This is terrible." mumbles Muir. William turns in his saddle, still holding on to Snow for dear life. "This is worse than I had anticipated."

The Huntsman leans forward and rests his elbows on the horses neck, burying his face in his hands. "What do we do?" he asks, his voice feeble with worry.

"She has to be taken to a Healer." says Muir. "Beith, one of your men must go ahead of us to the troops, to warn them that we are not going to the village with the intends of freeing it from the rebels. We are going there to safe our Queen's life."

Beith nods and turns to his men. "Nion, you will go ahead to the men and inform them of our situation. You will leave nothing out, understood?"

The dwarf with the strange twig through his ear nods, spurs his horse on and leaves out of sight behind the hills. "The rest of you!" continues Beith and the four remaining dwarves all pay attention. "The rest of you will do anything in your power to protect our Queen. No more harm can come to her. Is that understood?"

Muir, Quert, Coll and Gort nod curtly and Beith turns to the Huntsman and William. "All we can do now is continue to the village. Eric, you are familiar with the village, are you not? Is there a capable Healer there?"

William sees the Huntsman's eyes light up, and a spark of hope ignites inside of him. "There is, actually." the Huntsman says, grinning broadly. "The best, even. If we go now, she will be able to help us."

Beith nods. "Then we have to go. Now. If she dies, that will be the end of us all."

With that, William cannot argue. He knows exactly how lost they all would be if Snow dies. "Let's go, then." he says, his eyes pleading whether they could go right now. The longer it took for them to get to the doctor, the worst she'd be. The Huntsman nods in agreement, and they hurry towards the village. "When do we get there?"

"Four hours, give or take a few minutes. Be warned, though, she is very distrustful. We each and everyone have to earn her trust." William can't help but feel as if the Huntsman is looking straight at him when he says that. _Why won't he trust me?_ thinks William, while he encourages his horse to speed up.

His thoughts keep going back to the little form in his arms, the shivering going through her body, the moaning, the meaningless mumbling...it all sends him on edge. "William?"

He startles at her soft voice. "Yes, Snow, I'm here. I am going to take care of you."

"What – what is happening to me?" Her voice is so hoarse that he can't repress the urge to shiver.

He strokes her hair out of her face, and locks eyes with hers. She doesn't seem to see him. "We do not know yet. But I promise we will. I will not let anything happen to you. Just please don't give up. Please don't stop fighting."

She stares dead ahead, not acknowledging that she's heard him, or that she even understands what he's saying. "I can see...shadows...all around me. They're calling to me...William...they're dead..." Her eyes widen in horror. "They want me to join them! They say it's time! William...Eric...! Don't let them take me...I don't want to die!" She struggles to get off the horse, but William forces her to stay put. What in the name of everything unholy is happening here?

William looks up at the Huntsman, and sees that said Huntsman is steering his horse towards them, worry creasing his face. He shakes his head, and William understands. She will not make it if they do not hurry. "We will _not_ let you die, Milady. That I promise you." he grunts, and he takes a sip out of his flask.

William frowns. "You cannot drink now, Huntsman." He still refuses to call him by his true name.

"If you want me to stay mentally in charge of myself, I have to drink." The Huntsman leans forward and sighs. "It hurts me to see her this way. The only way to suppress that and stay focused on the task at hand, is to drink. I wish I had another way." He takes another swig.

William feels a stab of jealousy, but also in his heart, he feels the same thing as the Huntsman.

"You really do love her, don't you?" William whispers. He had hoped that it was just the adrenaline of the battle, and the sadness over the loss of his wife, but he now hears that it wasn't. This is real. What the Huntsman feels, is real. There is no denying it now.

The Huntsman stares at the little form on William's horse that is his Queen and nods. "I do. And I know that you do, too. I don't want to fight with you over her." He looks up and looks straight into William's face.

The sincerity in his eyes strikes William deeply. He is really intend on not fighting with William over their Queen. "So, you've felt it, too?"

"The anger is going away, yes, if that's what you mean." William nods and the Huntsman shakes his head. "I've never wanted a fight with you, sir William. Never. And certainly not over Snow. I love her. Maybe even more than I loved Sarah. But if she chooses you...I will not stand in your way. I will let her be happy with you. I will leave the palace to give you all the space."

"She would be devastated. She needs you more than she cares to admit, Huntsman." says William softly. He likes the idea of having the Huntsman gone, even though he doesn't want to fight him anymore. But Snow won't like it. Not at all. The Huntsman has helped her through the times that she needed someone the most. The Huntsman, and not William. "So, I will promise you the same thing. I will let you two life your lives if she chooses you. I will not stand in your way."

The Huntsman nods. "Alright. That is a deal, then."

"I guess so." murmurs William. "Look, right now, all I want is for her to get better. Because if she does not get better, we won't have to make this deal at all, because there will be nobody to choose either one of us."

That makes the Huntsman snicker, but it is with dark humor. "Then we have to hurry, won't we?" The cynicism is dripping from his words.

"We're almost there, Snow. Just hang on." William murmurs.

"Don't let them take me...Will..."

The Huntsman looks worried at William and sends a message through his eyes. _'Do something'_, he seems to say. That much William knows, but what does he have to do to calm her down? "I won't let them take you. I promise."

"Eric...please, make them stop."

The Huntsman's forehead creases in worry and sadness. "I want to. God, I want to. But I can't. I don't see what you see, Milady."

"Please...help me..." Tears streak down her face as she stares in fear around her. She screeches and hits her wrist, as if someone is grabbing her against her will. This isn't happening. This can't be happening. She is seeing something, and it is affecting her severely.

"We're here, we won't let anything harm you." murmurs William to her, and he takes her hands in his to prevent her from harming herself. He doesn't even notice that he speaks for the Huntsman as well as for himself.

"Muir, what does she see?" asks the Huntsman the blind dwarf.

"She sees the Other Side. She is fading into the Realm of the Dead. She is seeing the Dead." says Muir, his face creased with worry and fear. If that blind, foreseeing Dwarf was worried...then they all should fear for their lives.

William feels his heart lurch, and it could've just as easily been torn out of his chest. Does Muir say that she is dying? The Huntsman voices William's thoughts. "You mean to say that she is dying?"

"You are smarter than you look, Huntsman." says Beith grumbling.

The Huntsman obviously can't laugh about that. "Now is not really a good time for dark humor, Beith. Your Queen is dying."

Beith bows his head in mock consent and he continues to ride in front of William and the others.

William shakes his head at the grumpy leader. "Can he just be nice for once?"

The Huntsman smirks. "That is just who he is, William. He cannot be changed. No, he will not be changed. Believe me, we've all tried it."

William smiles, but immediately stops. How can he smile while Snow is dying? That's just not fair towards her. The guilt is consuming him immediately. "I just want to bring Snow to that doctor of yours, Huntsman."

The Huntsman nods. He doesn't seem at all effected by William calling him Huntsman. He is most likely used to it. "I do, too, sir William." Why does that Huntsman keep calling him 'sir'? Why is he even polite at all? William was brought up to believe that the people like the Huntsman – drunkards, scoundrels – are not overly polite. But the Huntsman has destroyed that image. He is always neat, always polite. At least, when he's with others. William doesn't know what goes on inside the Huntsman's head when he's alone. Frankly, he does not want to.

He wonders how Snow is feeling. He can't really imagine how it must be like, being in two worlds at the same time. Seeing this world and the world of the Dead in the same image...it must be so very frightening.

Finally, the village appears at the horizon and they approach it fast. The Huntsman speeds ahead to warn the doctor, and William lets his horse ride as fast as it can to follow.

The Huntsman is waiting for them at the edge of town, waving them over. "Over here! She's expecting her, I've explained it all." William stops his horse and dismounts, then pulls Snow off as gentle as he can. "Give her to me." says the Huntsman, and he holds his arms out.

William snickers. "Right. As if I'm going to let her go."

The Huntsman growls irritated. "If you don't give her to me, she'll die! Do you want that?! The Doctor doesn't trust anyone but me. She has agreed to let Muir in as well, because he can see past what is visible, but nobody else. Give. Her. To. Me." William doesn't like it. Not in the slightest, but he knows he doesn't have any other choice. If he wants Snow to survive, he has to give her to the Huntsman. He gently hands her to the Huntsman, and holds himself back, while he stays by the horses. He wants to run inside, but if he does that, the doctor will not treat her. And he wants her treated more than he wants to be at her side, that's one things that is certain. He starts pacing up and down in front of the small cottage, not looking around to explore the village. He doesn't care about that. He just cares about Snow.


	10. Chapter X

**I'm sorry for the long time, I've been completely blocked at this story for a long time, which is extremely frustrating! I have posted another story though, The Bourne Cross in the Bourne Series. Try it, maybe you can even give me some reviews, which is of course always appreciated!**

**Enjoy this chapter!**

**Love, Lily**

* * *

**X**

It seems like the Healer recognises the Queen immediately. Of course, Snow is the Queen, but Eric knows from experience that news comes slow in this town.  
"Life itself...!" the Healer mumbles, and her face lights up with hope. "Queen Snow is what we've been looking for for centuries!"

Eric creases his brows, but leaves her at her work. Muir waddled around the table, grinning widely. "Just like I suspected. This is the One who ended the reign of Queen Ravenna."

The Healer hisses between her teeth. This confuses Eric. It sounds like she is angry, but her face looks like she's happy. "Welcome in my world, My Queen. Do not worry, you are safe here, I will take care of you." Snow only groans. The Healer starts looking at Snow's face, hands and probing certain pressure points on her body; her feet, her hands, her neck, her forehead. "Fascinating."

"What?" Eric steps forward and stares at the Healer, trying to stare a bit of information out of her. "What is fascinating?"

"Well, whatever is happening to her," she starts explaining, rubbing her chin in wonder, "is pulling her out of this Realm. Or reality, whatever you like to call it. Her body remains here, but her mind is fading away. The Indians believe that a person has seven chakras, puddles of energy so to speak. The puddle of energy in her heart, called Anahata, the Heart Chakra, is being opacified and closed by some kind of power. Some kind of Magic, even."

Eric shakes his head. Chakras? What is she talking about? "Sahila, what are you talking about?"

"Eric, you know where I grew up. I've been brought up with the knowledge of other religions. Your God isn't their God. They believe in reincarnation, for one thing. But they believe, and it's what I believe, and it is what is happening to your Queen, that our puddles can be drained by some kind of magic. And in this case it is her heart chakra, followed by the rest of them. Her heart chakra is positioned at her heart, and the emotion that represents it, is Sorrow. The heart chakra stands for love, kindness and affection."

Muir and Eric chuckle at the same time. "That is her strongest side, most definitely."

Sahila smiles and nods. "And it is exactly why this magic is weakening her. It is her strongest side, but also her greatest weakness once someone gets in."

"How does one get in?" asks Muir, sitting down on a chair he has been offered by Sahila. Eric edges closer to the table where Snow is lying, and he takes her hand. She rolls her head from side to side, and she is moaning. It is like she is dreaming, but her eyes are wide open and tears are spilling over her cheeks. She is afraid, seriously afraid of her life.

"We have to hurry."  
Sahila turns back and puts a hand over Snow's heart. "I will try to slow the progress, so that I can find a possible cure." She starts mumbling and after a few minutes, Snow starts trembling.

"What are you doing?!" shouts Eric. "Sahila!"

"_Amor, Benignitas, Affectione, tres simul, tres aperto._" She keeps repeating those last four words, and Eric has no idea what it means.  
Snow starts thrashing around, moaning heavily. "Blood…no…no, don't take me. _Imo ne me tibi!_"

"What is she saying?"

Sahila doesn't answer, her nose is bleeding heavily, and her body is trembling as well. "_Suscípiet eam, suscípiet eam!_"

And then Snow quiets down, her eyes close and her breath calms to an almost normal level. Eric looks up to Sahila, whose face is covered in her own blood right now, and her eyes are fluttering. "Sahila?" he asks worried.

"I'm fine. Just…let me catch my breath." Sahila leans heavily on the table and she gaps. Muir stands up and puts a hand on her elbow, that's about as far as he can reach.

"Are you alright, Lady Sahila?"

Sahila snickers. "_Lady_? I've never been called a lady before. Thank you, Muir, that was very kind of you."

Muir bows his head and then puts a hand on Snow's forehead. "Anyone helping my Queen is a friend of mine."

"She is going to be alright for now. She won't wake, though. The spell I've put her under is a heavy one, and it can only work if the rest of her brain and heart is not busy keeping her awake and conscious. In the mean time, I can explain to you a bit more about the chakra's. Her main chakra, the heart chakra, is being blocked by something or someone." She starts pointing out certain areas of Snow's body. Her crown, her forehead, her throat, her heart, her navel, her sacrum and her lower back. "All of her chakra's are starting to go out of balance now, getting closed off, making her soul, her essence, fade out of this Realm. It has already begun. It started at her heart chakra, which made her grow ill. The rest is starting to close top to bottom, starting at the Sahasrara, her crown chakra and going all the way to the Muladhara, her root chakra. Four out of seven are already closed. If the other three close, too, it's over. We have to find a way to open those chakra's."

It all sounds very unbelievable to Eric. "Alright. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that I do believe – and understand – all of this. How does one get into the chakra's?" asks Eric, still a little confused on that part of the story.

"Spells. Black Magic. Can have multiple reasons. We have to find out what that is." Sahila sighs deeply and sits down on a stool next to the table with Snow on it. "I'm going to concentrate now, I do not want any interruptions. Any, Eric, do you understand?"

She knows him too well. Eric smirks and nods. "I do, Sahila. I'm sorry."

Muir rises and comes next to Eric. "How do you know Sahila?"

Eric sits himself down on the floor and starts telling, while staring intently at Snow and the Healer. "Sahila was my mother's sister. She was there for me when my mother wasn't, after my mother died. She took me in, took care of me. She knows everything about me. You could say she _is_ my mother."

Muir stares into the distance, nodding his head understanding. "Your mother…was she…" He stops, then tries again. "What kind of a woman was she?"

This is a subject he really does not want to touch. He hates to think about his youth, just like he hates to think about the time before Sarah. He sighs, and keeps his eyes fixed on Snow, so that he does not have to look at Muir. "She was…absent, but she loved me unconditionally. My father left her before I was born, he was…like me, after Sara and before all this. A drunkard, a scoundrel. He seduced my mom into bed, then left when he found out she was pregnant. It…destroyed my mom. Nobody wanted to touch her, take care of her. I was born on the streets." It's like he can see everything play out in front of him, and being in this town does not help him. The memories he's buried for years come rushing to the surface, overwhelming him.

The boy born from Ashyla grew up in the streets of this little town, he lived from charity and kindness of the people. His mother wasn't there most of the time. She sold her body to men to get money and food to nurture her son. And then she died, when the boy was about six years old. One man got angry when she refused to let him take advantage of her for free, and killed her in that anger. So the boy was alone. Two months after that, the boy was huddled in a corner of an abandoned alley, trying to shelter from the heavy rain that was pouring down on his head. He was trying to hold his act together, but it wasn't really working. Suddenly, someone grabbed his arm. He looked up in fear, staring at the woman that was holding him so fiercely. He gasped when he was able to make out her face beneath her hood. It was like his mother was standing there. "Mother?" he murmured.

"No. Come, young Eric. I will take care of you from now on." The woman had a strange accent, foreign. She was not from this kingdom.

Eric didn't want to come with this woman. He didn't even know who she was. Why did she look so much like his mother? He struggled against her hold on his arm, but she was stronger. "Wait! No, let me go! Who are you?"

"I am Sahila, I am your mother's sister. When I heard she'd died, I knew I had to come for you. You don't remember me, but I have seen you once, right after your birth. You look a lot like your mother. Now, come with me." Eric was still afraid. "You need not be afraid, Eric. You are safe now." That was the thing that convinces him. He followed the aunt back to a little house, and she fed him, nurtured him, helped him grow up. He was happy again.

Muir whistles through his teeth after Eric has stopped telling about his troubled youth. "Well, Huntsman, I have to say you came out of that fairly well."

Eric shakes his head. He does not agree with that. If it hadn't been for his father and the murderer…everything would have been fine. "No, it made me who I was before Sarah and Snow. I hated that me. I still do. If everything had gone differently…"

"…you may not have met Sarah. Or Snow. You don't know what your life would have been if your mother still lived. But you probably would not have had what you have right here, right now. You have what every man in this Kingdom would kill for. The love of the Queen."

Eric leans his head back against the wall, considering the blind dwarf's words. He is right, without a doubt. Snow loves Eric, he knows that. And it was also true that many men would kill for that. Hell, he would kill for Snow. He knows he would. "I know that." he whispers.

"She does love you, Eric. I need you to know that."

"I know that, too." says Eric, nodding his head. Snow turns on her table, while Sahila is leaning over her, murmuring something incomprehensible. "She loves William, too." It sounds like a statement, and it's exactly what it is. It's the truth, she loves William, too. "And it makes me vulnerable. I don't like to be vulnerable."

"Love means being vulnerable. It has been since the dawn of time. There is no way around it."

"I wish there was."

Muir chuckles and claps Eric's shoulder. "You'll be fine. I promise."

Eric stands up, wanting to get away from his past, the memories, the pain. "How is she, Sahila?"

Sahila slumps back in her chair and groans. "This spell is very hard to battle, it is amazing the Queen has lasted this long." She closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose, looking utterly tired. "This is taking its toll in me already, and I have only been at it for a few hours. Queen Snow White has a lot of strength. You are quite lucky."

There she confuses him. "Lucky with what?"

"She loves you very much. You are not with her?"

"I wish I was."

Sahila frowns, looking down at Snow in confusion. "But…I do not understand. Her thoughts are filled with you. You inhabit every corner of her conscious and subconscious mind."

His heart leaps. If that is true…it will mean the world to him. But he knows there is someone else in her mind as well. "No, Sahila. William must be there too."

Sahila leans forward and puts a hand on Snow's forehead, then closes her eyes. "This William you are talking about, he _is_ there indeed. Every time she thinks of you, massive guilt washes through her as well. The man that causes this, is called William. Duke William. I remember him. Wonderful archer, handsome face, brown hair. I have seen him when he was younger. I have attended to his court when needed." She releases the young woman and leans back in her seat. "William is on her mind. But you are more prevalent. She loves you, Eric. Take it from the woman who raised you."

Eric chews on his lower lip and looks at his Queen thoughtfully. "You honestly think so?"

"Stop it, Eric. I know so. Do not pretend that you do not know of my abilities."

"They scare me sometimes, Sahila."

Sahila nods. "I know." She looks thoughtfully at the young woman on the table. "It is extraordinary. This spell she is under. It is remarkably resilient and persistent. I am desperately trying to open her chakras, but it is being stubborn, to say the least." She stretches her arms and neck and groans softly. "I will get it, Eric, do not worry." she says when she sees his worried face. "It is just going to take time. I understand that you have more faithful followers outside? Why do you not tell them to come in?"

"Are you sure?"

Sahila smiles. "As long as they do not disturb me…I cannot very well let them stand out in the cold."

Eric nods, astonished by the relenting behaviour of his aunt. She never let people in. Why does she do so now? He opens the door and William is the first who is standing in front of him. "How is she?"

Eric takes an annoyed step back. He doesn't like the Duke so up close. "No change so far. You can all come in."

William frowns. "I thought you said…"

"I did. But she does not want to leave you standing in the cold. Be grateful and come inside." He turns his back on the irritated Duke and walks back to the table with the beautiful Queen. He stands over her and thinks back to the time he thought she was dead. Suddenly anger fills him. "Do _not_ do this to me again, Snow White. Do you hear me? Do _not_ die on me again, I wouldn't be able to live through that. Come back right now, do you understand? I will not cry over you again, I refuse. Do not make me cry over you." He feels a lump forming in his throat, and he turns away from her. If he isn't going to cry over, he must stop now. He feels William brushing past him and stop next to Snow. He doesn't want to listen, but he does.

"Snow, wake up. I won't allow you to die. You are going to get through this. You will wake again, do you understand me? Listen to me, wake up!" Eric turns to see William shaking Snow hard.

"William, that will not help."

William ignores him, which is very annoying. "Wake up!"

"Young man, you will stop that right now! You are hurting her and slowing the process of her healing!" yells Sahila, pulling William off the Queen with a fierce look on her face. "Step away, now. Or I will put you back on the street, without a thought."

To Eric's relieve, William steps away from Snow's table, and, to Eric's horror, starts pacing up and down the room. Can he not stand still for one moment?

"What is happening to her?"

"Ask Eric, I will not explain again."

Eric snorts. He will not explain to William what is happening. Partially – alright mainly – because he does not understand. The other part is because he does not want to. "William, I cannot tell you, because I honestly do not know."

William roars in anger. "Why can't anybody tell me what is going on?"

Luckily for everyone, Muir steps forward and takes William aside. "I will explain, Duke William."

Sahila turns her attention to Eric again, her dark eyes gleaming with some kind of excitement. "I am going to try a new approach. If you do not like to see her in pain, I suggest you do not watch."

Eric winces. He hates to see her in pain. But he will stay with her, no matter what. He sits down next to the table, across from Sahila and takes Snow's hand. But before he is fully settled, Sahila snatches Snow's hand from his again and folds the young Queen's hands in a certain manner in front of her belly. Her fingers are crossed on the inside of her hands and her thumbs are touching at the tops, slightly above the crossed fingers. "What are you doing?"

Sahila presses both her hands on Snow's throat, as if to strangle her and Eric's heart starts beating louder. This does not feel right. "I am attempting to open her chakra's in a more direct approach. It is going to look like she is choking. Please, trust me that she will not be choking. At least not to death."  
Eric rises quickly. "I cannot allow you to do that."

"Eric, do you not trust me?"

"I do. I just do not trust your methods, and you know I never have."

Sahila sighs and removes her hands. This makes Eric slightly more comfortable. "Eric, this is necessary. You have to trust me, alright? You will be right here, if my intentions are bad, you can take me out with one of those impressive axes you got from that nice Huntsman, remember?"

"I am not six anymore, Sahila!" bellows Eric, hating how she talks him down like that.

"I know that!" she yells back. "I am just trying to make you see reason! I have raised you! I have earned your trust, even though it took a very long time!"

Eric slams his hand on the table, his heart boiling with fury. "I had good reason not to trust you! You were odd, different! Everyone mistrusted you! I had no reason to trust you! My mother had been murdered by a man she trusted to be more than just a client, and he turned that on her! I promised myself that I would never trust anyone again! It was remarkable that I trusted you eventually!"

Sahila sighs, and pinches the bridge of her nose to calm herself. "Look, this is not about the trust issues you had with me in the past. This is about the present. And in the present, Queen Snow White needs my help. You know you can trust me."

Eric takes a step back from the table and inhales sharply. It's difficult for him to trust Sahila. It's been a long time since Sahila and him talked, and now it reminds him of how unconventional she actually is. He has to get used to her again. "Alright. Do whatever you have to, but if anything happens to her that is connected to you…you are going to regret it."

"I am sure I will. Now, go. Join your friends. I will call you when I am ready to open her chakras."

With great reluctance, Eric goes back to the dwarves and William. "What is the verdict?" asks Muir, a concerned look on his face.

"I do not know. We have to wait until Sahila is finished."

Muir sighs and nods his head, as if he understands exactly. So they wait. There is nothing else to do, Eric knows that very well. But looking at the woman who raised him doing unknown things to the woman he loves…that is just really hard for him. He bites his lip to get through it, until his aunt tells him to get over there and take Snow's hand. Eric takes her cold hand, closes his eyes and waits.

And then she screams.

* * *

**Mwuhahaha!**

**Sorry, suddenly this cliffhanger came to me. Curious? Keep reviewing, and keep readin'!**


	11. Chapter XI

**Here it is, next chapter. I don't know why, but it's getting harder and harder to write this story. I could use some help. Please, leave any ideas or questions in the reviews, so that I have a fresh look on my story. I need it, because I have a feeling that I can't finish my story otherwise. Please!**

**Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. And enjoy!**

* * *

**XI**

It feels like she is dying all over again. Her heart is fighting for survival, her breath is stuck in her throat and searing hot pain goes through her entire body. It hurts! It hurts so much! She tries to reach around her, to search for Eric, for William…for somebody. But she can't even open her eyes. Let it stop! Please, let it stop! She can almost see the battle waged inside her. The mysterious illness against her own body. Her body is losing this really fast.

"_What is happening?!"_

"_I do not know, I am not touching her!"_

Voices. Weird voices in her head. She cannot understand them! _Someone, help_ _me!_ She tries to scream, but only the sound comes out. No words. _Leave me alone! Please, don't hurt me!_

_Snow, calm down. I am here with you._

Now, who is that? She tries to say something, yet her voice still doesn't work.

_I am your friend. I am here to guide you through this process. I know you are in pain, but if you just think the words, I will hear them._

What in the name of the Lord is going on here?

_You are passing on._

No. "NOOOOO!" A piercing scream fills her ears, and it hurts her to the depths of her bones.

"Snow! Snow, it is alright, I am here!" Rough hands grab her shoulders and start to shake her. "Come on, Snow, just open your eyes! It is alright, you are fine!"

Eric! Now she can remember his name! The screaming still fills her ears, and now she hears that it is her own scream. Her scream of fear and terror. She closes her mouth to stop the screaming and then she opens her eyes. Eric is bowed over her, and he looks terrible. "Eric!"

"Snow, thank the Lord, you are back! You have been screaming for hours!"

Hours? Is that possible? "What is happening?"

"Will you explain it?" Eric asks a strange-looking woman. She has long, black hair, dark eyes and a dark skin colour. Snow has not seen a woman like this before. "Or shall I?"

"Who is this?" Snow asks, looking from Eric to the woman and back. She feels confused. "Where am I? What is happening?"

"You explain it to her." the woman says, sitting down, looking exhausted. "It is not fully succeeded. She will be falling back to her previous state. I just cannot go any further without doing severe damage to myself."

Eric sits down next to Snow and takes her hand softly in his. "How are you feeling?" he asks looking intently at her.

"Confused. Why will you not answer my questions?"

"Patience, sweetheart. Lay down first. Please." he adds when she looks at him defiantly. She sighs and lays down, turning her body fully towards him. The pain has diminished to a barely-there presence in the back of her mind. Right now, she cannot bring herself to feel it. She needs answers first. "That woman is my aunt Sahila and a practitioner of White Magic."

"White Magic?"

"Yes. Ravenna used Black Magic. You were saved by White Magic when you took a bite of the apple." Snow nods. The woman is his aunt. Understand. She has to place everything very securely in her brain, or else she is going to lose it. "You are in her house, we brought you here after your condition worsened in the forest. She figured out what is wrong with you."

Snow looks at him, excitedly. If they know what is wrong with her, she would like to know as well. "Well? What is wrong with me?"

"It is Black Magic. It is disturbing your chakras."

"There you lost me. What are chakras?" Her head is starting to hurt.

"Puddles of energy in seven distinct parts of your body. They all represent different emotions. Black Magic is closing all your chakras, starting at your strongest one. Your heart chakra. That is what made you ill." He pinches her hand and leans his lips against the back of her hand. "I was so worried, Snow."

Snow White indulges him for a moment, but then shakes him. She wants to know more. "Give me more."

"Alright." He sits up and nods. "Sahila is trying to reopen your chakras, she is half-succeeding. It is really hard."

"What happened to me? I felt so in pain."

"You were. We do not know what happened. You suddenly started screaming."

He takes both of her hands and looks in her eyes. She feels sick. She had been in so much pain, how can they not know what happened? "I don't feel so good." she says, closing her eyes and letting the headache overwhelm her.

She hears Eric kick his chair back and she feels him leaning over her. "Snow? Sweetheart, can you still hear me?"

"Yes." she murmurs and she forces her eyes open. He is leaning over her, his face mere inches from hers, his eyes filled with worry. Her heart swells when she sees it, it almost hurts. But the headache is worse. "Just tell me…am I dying?"

His sigh is really enough of an answer, and she closes her eyes again to force back tears. After all she has been through, to let it end by stupid Black Magic? Again? "Yes, for the moment, you are. I am so sorry, and I am going to do everything in my power to stop that from happening. I lost you once, I am not going to lose you again, Snow, do you understand me?"

One tear escapes no matter what. "I do not want to die." she whispers.

"I am not letting you. I forbid you to. Alright? Just do not die on me." he whispers, and then his lips slowly presses on hers and she practically melts.

"What the hell are you doing?!" yells someone, whose voice is quickly connected to William's. Eric is yanked away from her and she hears two bodies crash into the floor. "You promised you would not force a decision on her!"

Hearing muffled grunts and fists connecting to bodies, Snow sits up in distress, that way worsening the headaches and she almost screams at the pain. "Please! Please, stop, both of you!" she yells, pain in her voice. Both guys stop immediately, looking up at her. "I cannot handle this right now! I just found out that I'm dying and you two are fighting over me? You two exchanging harsh words, fine, I can handle that. You two fighting over me, I cannot handle! Just stop!" She feels her energy leave her body during her tirade and she slumps back in lying position afterwards, tears streaking down her cheeks uncontrollably. Both men stand up and sit down on either side of her, with guilty looks on their faces.

"I am sorry, milady." Eric says softly, taking her hand, while William takes the other. "We shouldn't have done that."

William's warm hand pinches hers and he smiles at her. "I apologise as well, Snow. I should not have gone so far."

The Queen just smiles. She is just too tired to go over this. "I just cannot have you fighting while I'm too weak to even think about my options. I might not get better. That means that I will not be able to make a choice. That I refuse to make a choice. I will not have you quarrelling over me after I'm…gone."

William's grip tightens around her hand and when she looks at him, she sees a fierce and determined look in his eyes. "I will not let you be gone. You are going to live long and prosperous, and you will grow old and rule this Kingdom in your pure and innocent and unique way. I – " He stops for a moment, looking at the Huntsman across from him. " – _we_ will not let that happen. I am with Eric on this one."

His words make her heart feel ten pounds lighter. She smiles tiredly, but happily and both men kiss her hands. "Thank you. Both of you. Now, I just want to sleep."

"Can she?" Eric asks, turning around to his aunt, who is half-asleep in the corner.

Sahila lifts her head and nods sleepily. "Yes. I will continue working on her when I wake up."

"Then go to sleep, milady." William whispers softly, looking at her as if she is already on the precipice of dying. Which she presumably is. She closes her eyes, and with both men still holding her hands, she drifts into a state of dreaming that is peaceful and disturbing at the same time.

_You are passing on. You are passing on. You will join me soon. You will be mine. I promise you that, my dear, dear Snow White._

That is where it gets really disturbing. The voice is back. Taunting her, scaring her. "No! I don't want to go! Leave me alone! Please!"

_I can't. It has already been set in motion. Only the most powerful of White Magic can save you now, White Magic that hasn't been shown in your lands for over three centuries. That Magic-woman will not do the trick. She will not be able to save you. Give in. Join me. We can be together forever._

So, now there is a third person seeking her heart? Marvellous. Just what she needs actually. She tries to push the voice away, but it doesn't seem to want to go. _Please, just leave me alone._

_I can't. I have gotten this far. I will not lose you now. Too long have I waited for you to notice me. Too long have I lived in other people's shadows. No more! I will take what I want from now on._

_Who are you?_

_You know me. Think back. I am your past, your present and future._

And that is when Snow knows she has to wake up. This person, or spirit, is a threat to her life and her sanity, she needs to return to her life. To Eric. Her stomach flutters at the thought of Eric. It is worse than with William. What does that mean? Eric…what is Eric to her? What does he mean to her? He certainly is more than her protector, more than her best friend. She would trust him with her life. She would do God knows what for him if he asked. What does that make him? A lover? Or just a good friend whom she thoroughly trusted? She does not know, she cannot know. Eric...Eric...

**Eric POV**

The Queen lies restlessly on the table, and Eric wishes so for her to have a comfortable bed, and a good night's sleep, but nothing so much happens. Sahila keeps circling the table, keeping him away from his Queen at all costs. Except when the Queen in question starts talking in her sleep.

"Eric? You might want to come over here." mutters Sahila.

Eric practically flies towards the table, eager to be with his Queen. To support her. "What is it? Is there something the matter?"

"She keeps uttering your name."

Eric sits down next to his Lady and stares down at her. "Eric...Eric..." she whispers, rolling her head from one side to the other. She looks disturbed and worried.

"What is it, sweetheart? I am here."

"I think you should wake her. I do not think she is alright." In Sahilas eyes grows worry. If Sahila is worried, then Eric knows there is something wrong.

Eric grabs her hand. "Snow. Snow, my love, wake up." His stomach twists. The first time he has ever called her 'love' and she isn't even conscious. "Wake up!" He shakes her, a little bit frustrated.

"Eric..." She opens her eyes and looks at him. "Eric!"

Eric smiles relieved. "Yes. Are you alright?"

"No." she murmurs. "Eric, there is someone after me! You have to help me, please!" She wraps his arms around his neck and sobs in his neck.

He holds her tightly and smoothes her hair over her shoulders. "I will help you. I will always be here for you."

Snow slides her hands in his neck and takes a deep breath. "Thank you."

"Who is after you, Snow? Tell me." When he finds out, Eric will kill him or her, personally, slowly, torturously, for hurting Snow. "Tell me."

Her hands tremble in his neck and she takes a shaky breath. "I – I don't know. He sounded so familiar, but I do not know who. I am so scared of him. He can do whatever he want, because he has this power over me, and I cannot do anything about it. Please, Eric, you have to do something! You can't let him take me!" She is really panicked because of this. Eric knows that she is serious about this. She is really scared.

"I will not. I am going to protect you, alright?" He pushes her back a little bit, forcing her to look at him. "You are safe."

She looks at him, her eyes filled with gratefulness. The tension is almost tangible. "I feel safe with you. With all of you. I wish I could do something in return." she whispers.

"You can." says William, his soft voice piercing the tension between the Queen and the Huntsman. "Fight it. Do not die. That is how you can repay us."

Tears form in her eyes and she takes William's hand, nodding as she does. "I will. I promise." Her voice breaks again, and Eric feels like she is already taking her last breath. His heart is breaking at the thought alone, making him want to weep as well. He chokes his back for her sake. She lays back down and closes her eyes. "I will fight." she murmurs, slipping back in the world that is between the conscious and the unconscious state. Probably even between life and death.

"Sahila, for God's sake, save her!" shouts Eric, momentarily overcome with desperation and grief.

"I cannot!" she yells back, frustrated. Her hands land hard on the wall, and the silent mumbling of the dwarves stop immediately. "I am doing everything I possibly can, but I cannot seem to open her chakras. I am so sorry."

It is like a knife to the heart. If Sahila cannot help, who can? Eric drops his head and now has to fight to hold back the tears. Suddenly, he has the ridiculous urge to call for his mother. Snow cannot die. Not her, too. Not again. "Do you know who can?" he asks, his voice rough with sorrow and anger. The silence that follows is deafening. The air between Eric and Sahila is practically touchable with electricity.

Sahila turns away, breaking the tension and the silence. "So far, I have only one alternative. The Queen herself. She is strong, Eric. She has fought so hard against the one who is trying to take her, it is quite extraordinary. Normally, people would've given up by now. Not her. She has been lost twice since she came here, but always came back, because she didn't want to leave you, William and your little friends over there! The only one holding her back is her."

Eric leans his head in his hands. There is nothing to do now. But wait. Wait and see if she survives. If she has enough willpower to return. "Hang on, my Queen. Fight him."

"Huntsman, we have to stop fighting. I know we have said this before, but this time I mean it. Snow is dying. We cannot afford to waste her time by quarrelling."

Eric looks up into Williams warm eyes and nods. Of course he is right. They have said it about two times now, but both times they broke that promise. This time they have to mean it. "For Snow." he agrees.

"For Snow." William nods. They both shake hands and Eric turns his back on the table for a moment, for someone is pulling on his arm.

Muir stands before him, his empty eyes gazing into nothingness, yet they seem all-knowing. "Eric, I do not wish to be grim, but if Snow dies, these lands will be cursed."

As if he does not know that. "Thank you, Muir." Eric says coldly. "Just what I needed, thank you."

Muir sighs heavily and sits down on the ground. "I know this is hard, Eric. You have to hold on. Nothing is certain as of yet."

"If she dies..." Eric cannot even say it. He would break. Living without her would be...like living in hell. If he had the choice between that life and Hell, he would choose Hell without thinking.

"She will not. You and William will not allow her to. I am confident that she will recover. She is so unbelievably strong." Muir looks up to the Queen and Eric sees admiration in his eyes. He is right, of course, Snow is strong. Stronger than any woman he ever knew.

"Eric, you can sleep in your room." says Sahila. "I am going to work all night on her. Your friends have to find an inn, though. I cannot accommodate them."

William stands up. "I am not leaving."

Sahila turns to him, a murderous look in her eyes. Eric is tempted to laugh, but he doesn't. "You will leave. Because this is my house, my space. Be glad I am even helping you. I am helping you because I care about William. I care about this Kingdom, but I would not have helped if Eric was not familiar with the Queen."

William looks horrified, and turns to Eric, urging him to say something. Amused, Eric shrugs. He knows he cannot oppose to Sahila. "Just go." he advises. "I will stay here. Nothing will happen to her."

The Duke resigns and slowly walks towards the door. "If anything happens to her during the night..."

"Then I will be right ahead of you. You will not get the chance to kill me, because I will do it for you."

William seems a little reassured and smiles. "I trust you with this, Huntsman."

"Thank you. She will be alright." assures Eric. The dwarves follow William out, only Muir stays.

"Do you need help, Lady Sahila?"

Sahila smiles tiredly. "Yes, please. Thank you. Go to bed, Eric. She does not need you to be tired all the time."

Eric knows she is right. Tiredness is not wanted in situations like this. "Thank you, Sahila." He kisses her cheek gratefully, and then turns to the woman on the table. "I am here for you, Snow. Just yell my name and I will be right here. I promise." She does not respond. Of course not. She is unconscious.

"If something happens, I will call you." says Sahila.

Eric nods and walks up the stairs towards his old room. It looks exactly like it had when he left it so many years ago. Dark, one small window, dark blankets. He lays down on his back and stares at the worn out ceiling. Today ended worse than it began. There has been only deterioration in Snow's condition, contrary to what he hoped for. So, what does he have to do now? Who does he have to kill to save Snow? Because he will kill if it means saving her. He does not give a rat's ass for anyone else but Snow. He turns on his side and closes his eyes. He has to sleep, he cannot go on without so much as a few hours sleep. It is near impossible, but he does fall asleep. Eventually. He falls into wary dreams of death, and a man taking Snow out of his arms. While she screams his name, she is taken away from him, and there is absolutely nothing he can do.

When he wakes, he feels even more exhausted than when he went to sleep. This can turn very bad in a very short time.


	12. Chapter XII

**Hey guys! I am so sorry for the long wait for you, but I've been completely stuck, and I decided to just leave it for a few weeks. It helped. I have new ideas and a new chapter for you! Jeeyy!  
****I think the chapters will be shorter from now on, just so you know. It is to keep the tension present. I hope you enjoy this short chapter!**

**Thank you for your continued support! It is what helped me get back at this story. Love you,**

**Lily**

* * *

**XII**

There is a sharp knock on the door, which makes the Huntsman and Sahila startle while they're having breakfast. The morning started worse than last night ended. Snow couldn't keep food down. They tried and they tried, but it just kept coming out. Now she is not only dying, but also starving.  
The Huntsman has never felt better.  
He frowns, he has never been this sarcastic before, not about anything this serious. This must be a very, very bad sign.  
Standing up to get the door, he rubs his eyes. The knocking becomes louder, more pressing. "Yes, alright!" he shouts, not feeling friendly at all. "What?" he asks, opening the door to a total stranger, before realising it is a _total stranger_. For a moment, Eric deliberates if he should slam the door in the stranger's face.

"Where is she?" the stranger asks, sounding out of breath. Eric looks the man over. His eyes are dark and clouded, his short, dark hair is dishevelled and wet from the rain that is pouring from the skies. When he looks up, Eric sees that the man has a strange look in his eyes. Perhaps he is crazy?

"Where is who?"

"The Queen, you moron! Take me to her!"

When the man tries to push past Eric, but with that he oversteps all bounds Eric ever set up. Eric pushes the man back hard, and the man stumbles, falling into the street behind him. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Please! I only wish to offer my assistance! I believe I can cure her!"

Eric stops. Did that dark, dishevelled man just say what he thinks he said? "Come again?"

The man scrambled to his feet. "I think I can help. Please, let me help you."

"Who are you?" Eric asks again. He refuses to let the man in before he knows his true identity.

"I am Elijah." he says, offering his hand as a truce. Eric accepts, but with caution. He still doesn't trust this man. "Listen, if we don't hurry, I am not sure if I can help at all!"

"Can you save her?"

The man looks sincere. "I think I can."

"What can you do that my aunt can't?"

"That is what I want to find out."

Eric nods. "Fine. Go in. If I even smell danger on you, you are finished. Permanently."

Elijah nods and steps over the threshold. "Fair enough. Now where is she?"

"Eric, who is that?" asks Sahila.

"A man who claims to be able to help Snow." says Eric, showing Elijah to Snow White.

"What? You have let him in?"

"Of course!"

Sahila comes running from the kitchen and stops dead when she sees the guest. "Elijah?"

Elijah turns, and his face turns soft at once. "Sahila!" The two of them just stare at each other for a minute, before Eric coughs rather loudly, and then they both turn away from each other. "Right. So, you are the Queen that has healed our land?" Elijah leans over Snow's still and cold body. "She's so far gone. This is going to be tricky."

Eric frowns at Sahila. "You know each other?"

"Yes, we have met. A long time ago."

"Oh, darling, does he not know?" says Elijah, his voice like black silk. Eric turns to him with thunder in his eyes. He should not joke right now. "Well, if your _aunt_ has not told you yet, than I am not going to tell you. I am busy." He gestures to Snow. Eric takes a very deep breath, but it helps very little.

"Sahila?"

"What Elijah is talking about is a secret of my own, one that I am not willing to share just yet. Not because he decided to show up." Eric does not understand at all. Sahila somehow knows this person, and by the way she is speaking about him, Eric gathers that she does not like him at all. But why? And why will she not tell how she knows him? Eric hits the wall hard, mostly to vent his anger out of him. He is so on edge, he feels the need to kill somebody. "Would you kindly leave my house intact?" spits Sahila, before pacing out of the room again.

"Well. She has not changed one bit." says Elijah, amused and chuckling. Eric throws open the door and paces through the rain towards the forest. He needs to kill something now, before he kills Elijah or William or someone else he might regret.

_My love...my life...my everything...what do I do without you?_

**Snow White POV**

Everything is black around her. She is very cold. Is this what it feels like to die? It is not what she imagined it would be. She always imagined it to be warm, and good. But this doesn't feel that way at all. This harsh and cold environment, this is not Heaven. This is not where she will meet her mother and father again. She opens her eyes, but meets only blinding whiteness, so she closes them quickly. Then she notices her body is not as exhausted as it was anymore. In fact, she has never felt stronger. She opens her eyes again, and now she is used to the light and she can see more. She looks down to see her body clothed in a beautiful blue dress. She sits up. Her head does not swim for a change. Is this a good sign, or is she really dead? She lifts her hands and looks at them. Her skin is white as snow, but that has always been that way. Slowly, she stands up, and takes a few steps. It feels amazing to walk again, to even be fully conscious again. For the first time in days, she is not feeling nauseous or dizzy. This is probably a good sign.

She lifts her head and looks around. The whiteness is still present, but now Snow can see shadows around her. Chairs, figures. She still has not figured out where she is. "Hello?" Her voice echoes, making her head buzz a little. The longer she is engulfed in this silence, the more restless she becomes. "Eric? William? Anybody?"

"My Queen." Snow startles, and turns quickly. "Welcome." A dark shadow stands a few paces removed from her.

"Who are you? Where am I?"

"Come on, you have not figured out yet? I thought you were brighter than this."

Now he is insulting. Who is this man? "Look, if you are going to start insulting me...I can make you very sorry." Her voice is strong and confident, and she knows her father would be proud if he heard her right now.

The shadow laughs, an icy, frighteningly familiar laugh. "You have no power here, my Beauty. This is my world. My world, my rules."

"Where am I?" she asks again, her voice a little less stable and confident. She is not awake at all. She is even deeper than before. She _is_ dead.

"Oh, you are not dead. You are not exactly alive, either. You are...in between, at the moment. And if it were up to me, which it is," the figure laughs at his own cleverness, "you are not moving back or forwards for a very long time." He laughs again, and Snow shivers.

"What do you mean?" she asks, her voice not more than a soft whisper. "Am I going to stay here forever?"

"Exactly."

"Why?" she exclaims, her heart racing, fighting for the life she knows she has already lost. The pain Eric must be going through...and what about William? She cannot do that to them, not again, not now. "Why are you doing this?!"

"Because I love you." Of course. "I have followed orders all my life! Now that my mortal life is over, I will not do that again! I am sick and tired of orders, and I am going to live for myself now! I am taking what I want now, and the only thing I want is you." The entire scenery changes. The white turns to warm brown. A fire place appears, along with a fur and cushions to sit on in front of it. This looks like her own room from so long ago. "I know you recognise it. Sit. Enjoy the heat. It is not very warm in this place, although there are plenty of things you can do to stay warm." Snow shivers when she hears the smirk in his voice. She does not want to think about the 'things' he has in mind. Also, she does not move an inch. The figure is still in the shadows. "I know you are cold. Go sit in front of the fire place, Snow." Now it sounds like an order. Snow used to follow them. But she is Queen now. People follow _her_ orders.

"No." she simply states. This may be his world, but she will not have to follow his rules. She is still her own ruler. "First, you tell me who you are, what I am doing here and how I am going to get out of here. Because, contrary to your believes, I will not stay here forever. I have a life I need to get back to."

The man chuckles. "Alright. Then I will leave you here, leave you alone with your thoughts. I will come back tomorrow, then we will see if you have changed your mind. Good night, my Queen." The figure turns his back on her and walks away, disappearing into the shadows. The sound of a closing door announces that he is really gone. Snow stumbles towards the fur and collapses on it, only now giving into her fear.

"Oh God. Oh God, what am I going to do?" she whispers to nobody in particular, while tears slide over her cheeks. "Please, Eric. Do something. Get me out of here. Save me." She does not know why she calls to Eric. Probably because of his connection to Sahila. Maybe, if he hears, she can do something. "Help me."

She feels cold. Lonely. And above all, extremely frightened.


	13. Chapter XIII

**XIII**

Her pulse is phenomenally low. If Sahila and Elijah would not be able to feel it, Eric would have believed she was dead. But they still feel something, so he still believes she has a change of survival. She has not been awake for over two days.  
Two days of no sleep, two days of living in constant fear that her pulse would stop after all. He stays at her side no matter what. Elijah has tried to shoo him away from there, but he has refused.

"I do not understand. What in the world is happening?"

Elijah sighs and leans backwards. "I have to take a break." He closes his eyes and stretches his body.

Eric takes this chance to talk to the strange man. "Elijah, can you please tell me what happened between my aunt and yourself?"

Elijah sighs again and chuckles. "You simply will not give up, will you?" Eric shakes his head, never taking his eyes off Snow. "Fine. I will tell you part of it, but not tell you everything. That is for your aunt to tell, or not to tell." He settles back and closes his eyes, looking like he is remembering something. "Your aunt and I met a long time ago, in the Kingdom where she comes from. I was a traveller, from a distant Kingdom of which I cannot remember the name. My people are natural travellers, we are always called by the south wind. We cannot stay in one place for long, and it suited me fine. I liked travelling, you see. Until I met your aunt. She was...different. Beautiful, intelligent – unlike all the other women I'd met on my travels – independent. She had her own voice. I loved her instantly, but she was a lot harder to swoon over. She distrusted me, because I was a traveller. We did not make a wonderful name for ourselves, us travellers. But she warmed up to me, eventually. Of course, not many people were happy about us."

Eric relaxes at Elijah's voice and closes his eyes, finally giving into his tiredness, while Elijah paints a picture of his story in Eric's head.

_()_()_()_()_

_The music_ _was playing an upbeat tempo, and the young man and woman were standing opposite each other, on each side of the dance floor, staring at each other. The man smiled, the woman eyed him suspiciously. The man started walking towards the woman, his eyes never leaving hers. She turned to him, looking up to him defiantly._

_ "Miss Sahila, you look absolutely stunning tonight." he said, taking her hand and bowing to kiss it. She pulled her hand away, and the man chuckled. "I am most happy to see you are still as feisty as ever." Sahila tucked a strand of dark, curly hair behind her ear and smiled._

_ "Thank you, Mr Traveller. You look not so bad yourself tonight. I am surprised you even own a suit." she shot at him. He chuckled again at how she called him._

_ "Could I tempt you for a dance?" he asked, his perfect English accent visibly pleasing her._

_ She laughed and stepped away from him. "I do not think so, Mr Traveller."_

_ He grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him, making her catch her breath. "Please. One dance, that is all I ask." he said softly in her ear. She shivered._

_ "Alright. One dance, Mr Traveller." He led her to the dance floor just as they started a slow number, and he smirked, while she rolled her eyes. He wrapped one arm around her waist and took her hand in the other, and started twirling her around._

_ "Do you not at least want to know my real name? I like 'Mr. Traveller', but I have a name, you know." he said, smiling down at her. She laughed, shaking her head. "Alright. I will tell you anyway. It is Elijah, miss, at your service."_

_ It was silent for a moment. "Oh I am sorry, are you expecting me to say 'nice to meet you'?"_

_ Elijah laughed and twirled her again. "I am not expecting anything from you."_

_ Sahila looked genuinely impressed. "Nobody has ever said something like that to me. Every man I have met has been equally rude and arrogant. What makes you different?"_

_ "Experience. A lot of experience." Elijah chuckled. "A good education. My mother and father taught me always to be polite towards women. I loathe men who are not."_

_ Elijah made a visible good impression on the young woman in his arms. She blushed, and looked away. "Very impressive, Mr _Elijah_."_

_ "I am?" He laughed. "Good. Have I swooned you off your feet yet?"_

_ She laughed and looked up to her dance partner. "You are beginning to make a good impression on me." The music stopped and the couple broke apart. Elijah bowed to her and kissed her hand. This time she let him._

_ "Thank you, Miss Sahila. I have had a wonderful time."_

_ "Wait!" she said, grabbing his arm. "Can I see you again?"_

_ Elijah turned, smirking at her. He finally had broken through her walls. "Of course."_

_ "My mother would not approve of this." she said, but she smirked. She brought her mouth close to his ear. "Tomorrow, at noon. Meet me at the river." He nodded, and then she kissed him softly, baffling him. "I will see you later." she whispered, and then she turned and walked away, leaving him in the middle of the room, at the Chief's daughter's birthday-ball._

_()_()_()_()_

"Eric! Wake up!" Eric shoots up straight, confused and disoriented. "Finally!" William straightens up and steps back. "They need you." Eric, still disoriented from the strange dream, stands up and quickly follows William to another bedroom.

"When did you move her?" he asks.

"Last night. They said there would not be any change for a while, so I thought it best to make her comfortable." William explains. He opens the door and allows Eric to enter. Muir, Elijah and Sahila are all sitting besides the bed, staring at the fragile form of what once was Snow White. She looks terrible. Her skin has paled to an almost translucent white, her bones are clearly visible and her hair is not shining anymore. The Great Queen Snow White has fallen. Eric takes a deep, steadying breath. After being locked up for eleven years, she did not have one full year to enjoy her freedom. It is just so unfair. Eric would give his life a thousand times over to give her a full and happy life.

"Eric! I trust you slept well?" Elijah says, smirking broadly.

"Like a baby, why?"

"My voice has that effect on people. You had a dream, too, right?"

Eric grows more and more suspicious of this man. How can he know so much, and be so young? Though his age has nothing to do with him being able to know that Eric had a dream. "Yes."

"Splendid." Elijah stands up, and puts his hands on Sahilas shoulders, who tenses up immediately. "So, now you know. Now you know our dirty little secret. She left me, you know. I was not a good enough husband to her. Granted, the first few...years were fun, but after that, I began to grow weary. I needed to move again. Sahila travelled with me for a few more years. Then she had enough and left."

Sahila jumps up, her eyes shooting fire. "You told him?! You told him about us?"

"Calm down, love, it was just part of the story! I only told him what really mattered." He spreads his arms, smiling, as if he is expecting her to hug him. Instead, he receives an elbow in the stomach. He doubles over, half-coughing and half-laughing. "You certainly have not changed one bit."

Sahila rolls her eyes and leaves the room. "He will explain everything to you, since he is the one who likes to talk!" she calls over her shoulder.

Elijah chuckles and pulls a hand through his hair. "Such a charmer, is she not?" he laughs.

Eric cannot help himself. He has to laugh at the relaxed outlook of Elijah. "Why did you need my assistance?"

"I think I have found a way to take her back."

Eric is at Elijahs side immediately. "How? Tell me!"

"You need to go there. To wherever she is. You need to follow her, and get her back. You need to protect her in the place which is her reality now."

Eric frowns. "I do not understand."

Elijah sighs and thinks for a moment. "Think for a moment. Try to follow me. She is in a different reality. Call it a heightened state of living, if that will make it easier." It does not, but Eric does not interrupt him. If this can save Snow, he will. "This is your reality. This is real for you. It is not for her anymore. Wherever she is, that is her reality. That is real for her. Whether she is aware of it or not is besides the point. It is real. And you need to go there, you need to bring her back."

Eric still does not understand fully, but that does not matter. "How?"

"Sahila and I will put you under a spell, a similar spell Snow is under, but more...kind. You get to choose when and if you come back. And if you take someone with me. It is all a bit technical, but the main point is that you are able to save her."

"Why me? Why not William?"

"Because I am not magical enough." Eric jumps, he had completely forgotten about the Duke standing in the corner. "And apparently, you are, because of your ties with Sahila. I am just another man. Trust me, Huntsman," William says, leaning forward, his eyes spitting fire, "if there had been another way, one that would not have involved you, I would have taken it. But there is not. So you have to do it. For Snow."

"Everyone has a part to play in this story, Eric." Muir says, enigmatic as ever. "This is yours."

"I do not see what my part is in all of this." spits William.

"You will. Trust me, your time will come."

Eric shakes his head, trying to go back to the main point. "Will it save Snow?"

"Most likely." nods Elijah.

"Most likely?!"

Elijah raises his hands and shrugs. "I cannot give you certainty. All magic comes at a price. I do not know what the price of this one will be."

A price Eric is willing to pay, whatever it will be. "I will do it."

Elijah smiles, not happy or excited. More an acknowledgement. "Alright. Sahila, deary, you can come back now. He is going to do it."

Sahila returns, her face worried. "Eric, are you sure? I do not know what the consequences will be."

"I will take them any day. I will for Snow. I have hidden behind my fears to get hurt long enough. It is time to fight for what I love." Eric has never felt more sure of anything. He will do this. He will rescue Snow, no matter what the consequences.

Elijah nods and moves Snow over so that one part of the bed is unoccupied. "Lie down, if you please."

Eric takes his place next to Snow and looks at her. "I am going to take you home. I will find you, Snow. I will always find you." He brushed his fingers passed her cheek and sighed. "I love you."

"Alright!" shouts William. "Shall we move it on?"

Eric rolls his eyes and looks at Elijah. "What do I do?"

"Close your eyes." Says Sahila, sitting down next to him, and putting a hand on his forehead. "You have to calm your heartbeat, clear your head. Think only of Snow. Try to sense her."

Sense her? How in the world is he going to do that? But he fills his mind with Snow either way, because he trusts his aunt, and he even trusts Elijah. He has to. For Snow. No matter what the consequences, no matter whom she chooses when she returns, he will do this for her. "Try not to think of anything else, Eric. If you do that, you are most likely to bring that with you to the other world. Just Snow." murmurs Elijah, but he sounds faint, distant. Eric's head feels heavy and his thoughts go slow. There is only one thing crossing his mind other than Snow. Would he need a sword?

Then he falls into a deep darkness and he remembers nothing.

* * *

**Okay, I may have been watching too much Once Upon a Time lately. *cough* definitely *cough***


	14. Chapter XIV

**Sorry. School, the usual excuse. I'm trying very hard to update regularly, but I just can't.  
Here it is. Chapter fourteen. I have a feeling I'm nearing the end of it, but since I'm just writing and seeing where my imagination's taking me, I can only guess.  
Oh and forgive any spelling mistakes. It's half past 12 am.  
Have fun!**

* * *

**XIV**

Snow lies on her back in front of the fireplace, staring at the ceiling. The man who keeps her here has not been back ever since he left here, and she lost track of time after maybe two hours. So it has been at least a day. But it feels infinitely longer. There is nothing to do around here, nothing to see but the ratchet fire, which never grows cold, never loses its light, the fire never brightens or darkens. It just keeps on burning in the same dull manner on and on. Sitting there, doing nothing, it is slowly driving her mad. Someone has got to do something. She has to return home.

"Good morning!" A door opens...well, somewhere...and the man holding her finally comes back.

Snow jumps up, facing the man, who still refuses to come out of the shadows. "Let me go! You cannot keep me prisoner!"

"My dear Snow, I am not keeping you prisoner." he said, laughing. "I am saving you from your previous, shallow, short life. You can be free here. You can live forever here. With me."

Snow shakes her head. "I do not want to stay here! If you truly cared for me, you would let me go!" she shouts.

"I truly care for you. But I am not going to let you go back to a life without me."

Snow's heart sinks to her stomach, and desperation is about to take her heart. "Please. I do not want to be here. You must let me go!"

The person chuckles, and to Snow it sounds dark and terrible. "I cannot. I have been through too much. I have seen too much, I have given up too much! I will not give up you!"

"I do not even know you! Who are you?"

He chuckles again, and Snow shivers. "Do you want to know who I am?"

"Well, I would not be asking if I did not, now would I?" she spat, anger overtaking her despair.

The shadow walks around her, his face still hidden in the shadows. She turns with him, focussed on not losing him out of her sight. "Well, this is what I wanted. This is how I remember you. Feisty. Good with words. Where is my Snow White?"

She steps forward, in the hope of catching a glance of his face, but he steps back before she can. "There is no _your_ Snow White. I belong to no man. And especially not to a man who keeps me in a nether world against my will." This time she circled around him, trying to intimidate him. She is finally regaining her strength. The weakness is gone. She is not sick anymore. She can defend herself now. She does not need the help of others. "Who are you? Come on, I know you want to tell me. Just tell me."

He steps away from the fire, clouding himself completely in the shadows. "You see, if you know who I am, you have my weakness. And if you have my weakness, you can defeat me."

Snow rolls her eyes. This man has no logic at all. "But how are you going to keep me here forever, at your side, without me knowing who you are? You will not be able to touch me, you know." She needs him into the light. She needs to know who he is. She needs his weakness. She knows this man, she is certain of it, but from where? How does she know him?

The man growls. "I need you integrated good and proper first. Then you will know who I am." He turns around and walks away.

"By then I will have found a way out of here." she promises him. The man stops in his tracks for a moment, as if wanting to respond, but deciding not to at the last moment. Another invisible door closes and Snow is alone yet again, without any idea where she is or who is holding her captive. She kicks at one of the blankets, kicking it half into the fire. "Oh for the love of God." She pulls it out quickly, but to her surprise, it has not caught on fire. She looks around, her brow furrowed. What is this place? "Hello?! Can anyone hear me?! Please, help me!"

"Shut your pretty mouth!"

Snow turns towards the sound of the man's voice. "Release me now, or I swear you will regret it!"

"What, you will behead me?!"

"Rip your heart out. Something poetic." says Snow, smirking. She has never known this kind of hatred for someone. But now she is feeling it, very lively.

"You cannot kill what is already dead, my sweet. Now keep quiet!" A door slams shut.

Snow groans and sits down again, realizing that nobody can hear her, that she cannot defeat this man on her own. She needs help. And she knows of only one person who could truly help her. "Eric, you have to help me. Please. Please, I know you can hear me." Truthfully, she does not know. She hopes. She hopes that he can hear her, so that he can come and save her like he always does.

She is not afraid anymore. Just angry. Extremely angry. And when she gets the chance, she will escape. She will not stay here, she will not be held captive again. She refuses it.

**William POV**

William sits beside the bed, staring at the faces of Snow and the Huntsman. Neither seems to wake up, neither seems to be responding to anything, to any stimuli from slaps to pricks in the softest part of the Huntsman's thigh.

"Are they supposed to not react?" William asks Sahila, not taking his eyes off Snow.

Sahila sighs, and bites her long nails. "I do not know about Snow, but Eric is. There is something not right, and it hurts that I cannot do anything to help them."

"Send me after them." William sits up, looking away from Snow for the first time in hours.

Sahila gasps and Muir almost drops off his chair. "You what?" she asks.

"I am not going to sit here while they fight for Snow's life...wherever they are! I need to do something!" William has been getting restless. He needs to do something before he loses his mind.

Sahila jumps up and walks over to the young Duke. "Have you got any idea what it could do to you? You could die!"

"I do not care! I need to do something, do you not understand?!" William catches his breath to remain calm. "I would do anything for Snow. I would risk everything. Even my life if it meant saving hers. I abandoned her once before, I will not do that again."

Sahila sighs and sits on the edge of the cot. "I understand. I will try everything. And I will send you after them."

William closes his eyes. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"Just...if you die, do not come back to haunt me. This was your choice."

William chokes out a laugh. It is not really comforting to hear that, but he has made his choice. "That is alright. I will not haunt you."

"Lay down beside her. I will give you as much energy as I can, but I doubt it will be enough for you to return." Sahila looks down upon him. "I cannot believe you want to do this. There is no guarantee you can return."

"My life for Snow's..." William weighs the two options in his hands for her. "Not a tough choice, Sahila. Do it."

Sahila looks at Muir, who has already scrambled to his feet and looks as lost and confused as she is. "Just do it, Sahila. You cannot stop him."

Defeated, she puts a hand on his forehead and starts mumbling in a different language. Taking a deep breath, he closes his eyes and thinks of Snow. _Do not worry, Snow, I am coming to take you home._ His brain turns foggy, and he subconsciously fights to stay awake, like he always does. But soon sleep takes over and his last thought before he completely drops away is him considering whether he should've taken his bow and arrows.

* * *

**Yep, they're all in the nether world! I know what I want to happen in the big lines, but I have no idea how to write the actual "fighting and freeing part". If anyone's got any suggestions, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review.**

**I love you, awesome nerds(or people, whatever you prefer)!**

**Oh...before I forget, I used a quote from the Vampire Diaries in my Snow POV. Die-Hard TVD fans might recognize it; it is one of my favorite quotes from my favorite character on the Series. *coughDamoncough***


	15. Chapter XV

**Okay, so I have been sick the past couple of days, and I wrote this within those days. This is fluff - and no, it is not between Snow and Eric or William. It is Sahila and Elijah. There is a bit of hinting towards their history together. I am not sure if I am going to work this out in this story or make a side-story about it. I hope you like this.**

**Love,  
Lily  
XOXO**

* * *

**XV**

Sahila watches intently as the Duke falls into a deep sleep. She knows this is probably not going to succeed. One of them is going to die, she knows in the deepest recesses of her heart. She bites her nails and praises to the Lords that they will spare her one and only son. Or nephew. He might as well be her son, she bloody raised him.

"Sahila, love?"

She gasps and turns, startled by his soft voice. "Elijah."

"Are you alright? You seem troubled."

She sighs and shakes her head. "This is not going to have a happy ending. Not for everyone." She looks down on her son.

He beckons her out of the room, so that they can talk in private. Muir nods that he will watch over the girl and the two men. "As I recall it correctly, you do not believe in happy endings." he says, smirking.

"I do not." She ignores the twitch in her stomach as she sees him smirk. It may have been years since they last saw each other, but she has never really forgotten him. "I just meant...somebody is going to die, Elijah. And it is going to happen because of me. Because I am too weak, because I let them go after her."

Elijah's smirk disappears and he frowns worriedly. "Because of you? No, it is not because of you. You only tried to help our Queen."

"Not my Queen! Or yours! We do not even belong in this land. We belong in India!" she yells, her anger more pointed at her herself than at him.

"Yes, your Queen! You have lived here since you took in Eric! She is your Queen, and you had the right sense to help her. She saved this land. You know as well as I what she did." He takes her by the arms and forces her to look at him. "This is not because of you."

She forces back the tears that threaten to come to the surface. "It is. I know why this is happening. I know what is happening."

Elijah staggers backwards, a shocked expression on his face. It should be comical if this is not so damn serious. "What?! You know?"

"It is my magic that is doing this. Well, not _my_ magic, but I helped make it happen." Tears are flowing now, and her heart is breaking apart further every second. "I did not know it would be used for this! If I did, I would never have..."

Elijah stops her rambling by grabbing her and pulling her into his arms. She feels safer in an instant. His warmth is engulfing her, and she buries her face in his shirt, crying until there is not a tear left. "You need to calm down first, love. Then we will talk." He rocks her in his arms until she calms down a bit.

"I am sorry. I do not know why I am so bloody emotional."

He laughs. "That is just because I am here. I get to you. I always have."

She cannot argue with him there. "I am sorry."

"You need not be. It is alright." He caresses her cheek and smiles softly. "You are going to be alright now?"

She takes a deep breath and nods. "Yes. Thank you."

"Now. I want to know everything you know. Go."

Sahila really does not want to, because he will hate her forever after this. But she also knows she does not have a choice. He will not stop until he knows what she has got to do with all of this. "Alright. Two years ago, the Queen – Ravenna – came to my house. She was really friendly, different from all the stories I had heard." She walks to the dining room, carefully avoiding eye contact with him. "So I invited her in."

He gasps. "You invited her in? Sahila, you know enough of the world to know that you should not invite somebody in if you do not know them!"

She closes her eyes, she cannot take his disappointment. "I know, thank you very much. Now do you want me to continue, or do you want to tell it?"

He raises his hands, knowing when to give it a rest with her. "Please, continue."

She takes another deep breath. "So, I invited her in. She asked me about me, about my life here. She knew I was not from around here, and I told her about me and you and Eric." She sees that he is on the verge of interfering again, but he bites his tongue and just nods. He is a fast learner. "Which is the stupidest thing I ever did, following by inviting her in in the first place. When she knew enough, she went straight to business. She demanded that I created a new world for her. So that if she, or one she loved, died...they could go there."

He looks astonished. "What did she want that for? Can you even do that?"

"I can. I just had no idea how at the time. I told her no, I would not do it, not for all the money in the world. That is when she started threatening Eric." Sahila's stomach turns when she remembers this, and she feels sick because of her weakness. How could she let that witch make her do this? "Anyway...she said she would hurt him. Throw him in the darkest dungeons and torture him until he would go insane. When that did not work, she said she would take him into the Dark Forest. Leave him there, to rot. That is what persuaded me to do it. I could not condemn my Eric to a life in the Forest." She buries her head in her hands and starts sobbing.

"Sahila...Sahila, love..." He pulls her in his arms and rocks her again. "It is alright, I am here, I will not go anywhere."

"It is just too horrible. I gave her my knowledge that is going to end a life. I am a horrible person."

She feels him shake his head and pushes her back a little. "You are not a horrible person, on the contrary. You are a wonderful person, and you only tried to protect the only one you love."

And that is when she realizes, when she knows that he will always stand beside her. Whatever she does, whatever horrible things she has done, he will always just be there for her. She reaches up to him, and pulls him down to her, kissing him like she did so many years ago. His arms wind around her and lifts her up, kissing her back with the same passion she remembers. She laughs around his lips and doubles over suddenly. She does not know why she is laughing, this is not even funny.

"What?" he asks smiling.

She shakes her head. "Nothing. It is not even funny. I have missed you, Elijah. I have missed you so much." She wraps her arms around him and buries her head in his chest.

"You have not changed one bit, you know that?"

She sighs. "And you know exactly how that is possible. It is your fault."

"_Fault_?" He chuckles sarcastically. "You wanted it, remember?"

"That was then." she says defensively.

"You're saying you regret it?" He leans in and smiles against her lips, and she smiles back involuntarily. "You regret that you had the chance to take care of Eric? You regret our years together?"

She closes her eyes. Oh yes, he knows that she does not. "No. I do not."

He kisses her lips ever so lightly, and her body shudders with anticipation. "There it is. Now that you have calmed down, I want you to tell me about this world. Whatever you know, maybe it can help." He helps her get to a chair and sits across from her, looking intently at her. "Tell me, I will not judge you for it."

Sahila highly doubts that. He will judge her. No doubt. But she will tell him anyway. Because she is tired of keeping this secret. She needs to tell someone. "Alright. This world, it is an empty place. Only filled with what people bring with them. It is cold, white, silent. And with silent I mean silent. No birds, no wind. Nothing. It is a depressing place."

Elijah bites his lip, obviously processing the information. She watches his teeth going into his lip and she gasps inwardly. It is just as sexy as she remembers. "Why would you shape it in such fashion?" he asks, his accent so clear that her hairs stand on edge. His accent always did something for her.

"I did not. She asked me to shape it in that fashion." Sahila stares into the distance, remembering ever so clearly. It had been horrible. "'Asked' meaning 'forcibly forced'. Elijah, it hurts even remembering it." Tears well up again, and she feels a surge of anger towards herself. She has cried enough for today.

He reaches for her and pulls her into his lap. "Shh, shh. I am here, you are safe." He strokes her hair and rocks her in his arms. "It is going to be okay. Are you listening to me?"

She nods in his chest and takes a deep breath. "I love you, Elijah." she whispers, regretting it the moment the words exit her mouth.

He stiffens under her, and she hears his breath catch in his throat. "Sahila..." he murmured.

She shies away from him slightly. "I am so sorry, I..."

He shakes his head and puts his finger on her lips. "Shh. Sahila...I should have told you this so many years ago." He looks deep into her eyes. "And I love you, too."

Her stomach flips backwards twice and she feels what she felt so many years ago at that ball. And now she has put words to it. "I cannot believe this." She chokes out a laugh. "I am telling you this while we are in the midst of a crisis and my son may die."

He chuckles, too, and leans his forehead against hers. "Well, you may blame me for this when he does, so this is the best of times." His fingers ghost past her lips and she closes her eyes briefly.

"This is not your fault. It is mine. Mine only."

He pulls her against his chest and just holds her, his warmth comforting her. She buries herself completely in his scent, and closes her eyes. She feels like a little girl, but she cannot help it. She feels vulnerable somehow, and his arms make her feel better. He is able to make her feel comfortable without even saying a word. It is just too good in his arms. She can fall asleep here, she has not slept well in days. "Sleep, Sahila. I am here, I will not go anywhere, alright?" He has noticed, of course, he notices everything about her. "I still love you, Sahila. Always have, always will. Not even the amount of time we have spent apart will change that."

"Alright, I understand. Stop flattering me."

"Only if I know it is working, love." he says, whispering the words in her ear. He knows exactly what can make her shiver. "Tell me it is working. Tell me that you are just as affected by this as I am. And then I will let you sleep." he continues, nipping at her earlobe, making her gasp in frustration. She has too much pride to admit that, and he knows it. "Just tell me, Sahila. Admit to it, and you will sleep soundly right here in my arms." His lips go lower and he sucks at her pulse point. This is too inappropriate, but Sahila cannot deny that it also feels too good to be legit. "Sahila." he says teasingly.

"Alright! I admit it, please, stop teasing! I need to sleep!" she exclaims, fed up with this teasing.

He laughs and buries his face in her neck. "Alright, I will stop. Do not worry. Sleep now."

She closes her eyes and the warmth of his arms envelopes her again. "Thank you."

"It is okay. You are safe, you are loved, go to sleep." His hands stroke her head, and while he hums a tune that brings her back to happier times, she drifts to sleep.

* * *

**Okay, so I'm having excessive trouble writing this fic, because I'm completely hooked(ha, no pun intended;D) on Once Upon A Time, and that Snow White is completely different from this Snow White. It's kind of confusing. So don't kill me with hatred if I don't update soon. I'm trying! I really am, I just can't get Ginnifer Goodwinn as Snow out of my head. It's kind of frustrating really, 'cause I don't want to let you guys down all the time. I'm trying, but I don't want to rush things either and make the story bad(or worse, whichever one you prefer). Hang in there!**

**P.S. Also, I've upped the rating, just in case some explicit violence is going to appear in upcoming chapters.**


	16. AN

**I know I should update on The Bourne Cross, The Barton Cross and Snow White and the Huntsman II. I know, I know, and I'm really sorry, but the Once Upon a Time ship just can't leave my head! It's frustrating really. I hate letting you awesome guys down, but if that one isn't out of my head first, I can never continue with the other stories. I'm doing the best I can, though! Please, be patient with me.**

**Love, Lily**


	17. Chapter XVI

**YES! I. Am. Back.**

**First off, I'm sorry. There really is no excuse. But as a reward, an extra long chapter for your patience! Yay! I suddenly had a rush of inspiration yesterday, so I started typing like crazy and now it's done! I'm so glad this chapter is up. It's also nearing it's end...sniff. It's been quite a journey for me. This was my first story and it hit off immediately. I really love that people are loving this.  
I've also learned a lot, grown a lot in writing, and as soon as I've finished this story, I'm going to re-read and repost it, to make it all perfect.  
But, before I start pouring all my pride and emotions on here, this isn't the last chapter, thank Goodness!  
So here you go, and I hope you enjoy yourselves on an extra long chapter!(4.854 words! I think that's a new record for me!)**

* * *

**XVI**

It is white everywhere you look. It feels surreal. He is walking on solid ground, yet he cannot see the ground his own two feet are touching. This is all very disorienting. How in the world is he going to find his beloved Snow White in this godforsaken place?

Wandering around like that for hours on end, it makes one lose his conviction. Eric really thinks about the fact that he is here, and has no idea where he is. Is he doing Snow a favour by doing this? Is even doing anything? If only Sahila could have told him a bit more about this place. It would have helped. Eric forces himself to recollect his thoughts. This is not helping Snow in any way. He needs to have faith that he will be united with Snow.

"What is this, punishment?!" yells he, after another two hours. "Because I fell in love with a girl out of my league? I cannot help it, either, you know! I would if I could, but I cannot. I love Snow more than I can possibly explain. Please, let me find her. I will give everything..._everything_ just to keep her safe. If anyone can hear me, please, guide me to her." He has to believe now. That is the only thing he can do right now. Trust that somebody will lead him to where he has to go. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "Snow...I am coming. Hold on."

For hours on end, he walks. He sometimes goes right or left, but it is never really a turn. There is nothing to turn to. This is highly frustrating. He is about to give up when he stops. Just like that, not by choice, he stops. It is like he has hit an invisible barrier, he cannot go any further, no matter how hard he tries. What is going on? He presses his hands against the air – for lack of a better term – and tries to press through it. It will not budge. He slides his hands along the invisible barrier, trying to find an entrance. Who would go through this much trouble in a world where there is literally nothing? There must be something behind this barrier, and no matter what else awaits, Eric is fairly certain Snow is there as well. After all, why put a barrier up if you are not hiding something? The knowledge – the hope – that Snow is behind this godforsaken thing gives Eric just enough patience back to search for a few hours, but after walking and touching...well, _nothing_, that patience grows thinner than ever. Eric screams and slams the barrier. He should not have done that. An echoing sound vibrates through his ears, and it hurts like _Hell_. He slams his hands over his ears, but it does not help, and he sinks to his knees, powerless against the piercing sound. Like a baby, he curls himself up and tries to protect his head with his arms. If someone would just grant him mercy. Just finish the damn job, and let the noise stop!

"Ah, the Huntsman. I was wondering when you would show up." A voice pierces through the painful sound, and it suddenly stops. Eric lifts his head and looks up. His eyes widen at the sight of the person standing over him.

"_You_!"

**(I know, I know, I'm mean xD Just keep reading)**

**William POV**

William runs through the white world, looking wildly around. Snow must be here somewhere, or maybe the Huntsman. In fact, he would not mind if he runs into _anybody_. But being here, all alone, with _nothing_ to keep his mind occupied...that is just pure torture. Suddenly, a shockwave hits him, and it knocks him back onto his backside. What in the bloody hell was that?

William rises to his feet, the world still spinning, although there is nothing much to be spinning. What power is roaming here? How is he going to defeat it? Can he defeat it? "Oh God." He stops in his tracks as he sees two shadows, one smaller and one taller. The smaller one seemed to be on the ground somehow. William tries to measure the distance, but because he has no starting point to begin with, no sun to measure shadows, he cannot. There is nothing to it other than to start walking and hoping they are close.

As it turns out, they are not. William walks for hours on end, and the shadows do not seem to get any larger. It is highly disturbing. "Hello!" he yells, multiple times, but either the shadows do not hear him, or they do not want to. William looks over his shoulder, and is not surprised to see only white. This is getting ridiculous. He turns back, and stops dead in his tracks again. The shadows are gone. What in the bloody hell is going on here? William starts running, and before he knows it, he is knocked back by another invisible force. It is like he walked into a wall. He smirks humourlessly. At last. Something. "Hello?" His voice echoes back to him, but other than that, it is completely silent. His gut tells him he is in the right place though. He had seen those two shadows over here, so this must be it. Whatever _it_ is. He raises his hands and starts feeling the invisible barrier. It is like there is a wall right there, it feels that way, it is as strong as one. Yet it is invisible. William cannot help but be a little impressed. This is very advanced magic, unlike any he has ever seen. He wonders who has done this. It should've been someone who is very powerful, very magical. As a last resort, he puts his ear to the barrier and closes his eyes to listen intently. There! The faintest whisper behind it. This is definitely the place.

"_...unlimited here...cannot tell me...not here...help you!"_ Who is that? It does not sound like Snow or the Huntsman. So consequently, it must be the one who has brought Snow down here. William clenches his fists. Nobody takes Snow, his best friend for life, his life, the kingdom's life. Not without paying the price. He knows that, for once, he and the Huntsman are on one line. Snow's life is more important than anything else. Even their own. He has to get inside.

**Snow White POV**

After another few hours of waiting, something in the air changes. It become thicker, more loaded with tension. Snow bolts upright from her warm spot by the hearth and looks around her. It disorienting, because of all the white, she has no idea where to look exactly. She can sense there is someone in the room with her, but she cannot sense if it is the man keeping her here.

"Hello?"

"They are here, my love."

Snow cringes at his velvety voice that calls him _his love_ from the shadows. She is no such thing. "Who is? And I am most certainly not your love, nor will I ever be." She cannot help but defy him. She knows he can explode any second and punish her in some way that would haunt her for the rest of her life. But she cannot care about that. The amount of anger is not decreasing at all.

"Careful, Snow. You do not want to make me do something I will regret."

"So what you do is my fault?"

He hisses and she hears him take a step closer. She cannot help the fear from coursing through her veins. This man genuinely scares her, he is worse than Ravenna's brother was. "Do not talk to me like that! I own you, you are mine forever! You will treat me with respect!"

He does not know that his words only make it worse for himself. "Nobody _owns_ me! A man can own my heart, but not _me_. Never me! I will never treat you with respect! _Never_!" A shadow lunges forward and a hand collides with her face, knocking her backwards. She scrambles up as fast as she can, pressing a hand to her cheeks. When she lifts it, she gasp. There is blood. He not only hit her, he made her bleed! The bastard! "You think this will help?! It will not! I will never love you, I will never stop fighting you!"

"Then I guess I am just going to have to kill you."

Snow smirks. "Go ahead. I beg of you. If it means release from this Hell, then please, do it! You will never have me anyway, because I will fight you every step of the way!"

Another blow to her cheek, but she does not cry out to the pain that it is causing. "You ungrateful wench! I saved you, I offered you an eternity with me!" The man keeps jumping back in the shadows before she can properly see him, and that frustrates her to no end.

"I do not even know who you are!" she screams.

"As long as you keep resisting, you will never know."

"Then I will never stop fighting."

He chuckles suddenly. "It seems we have hit some kind of snag."

Snow laughs humorlessly. "You do not say."

"I have a proposition for you. I let you go..."

"Really? Why do I not believe that?" Snow crosses her arms over her chest and stares at the shadows where she has last seen the man.

"Behind you." he whispers in her ear and she whirls around. Again, he is too fast. He chuckles darkly. "I will let you go, _if_ you leave that annoying Huntsman here."

That hits her like a lightning bolt. Her breath stops and she cannot seem to get it moving again. Eric? But he is not even here! Is he? "How? He is not here." she says weakly.

"Is he not?" He clacks his tongue and suddenly a lifeless figure coming hurtling from the shadows. Before it even hits the ground, Snow recognizes him.

"Eric!" She runs over to him and drops to her knees. "Eric! Eric, can you hear me?"

The man that has saved her life a thousand times over, now lays in a pitiful heap on the ground, and groans when she shakes him softly. "Snow?" his voice is barely above a whisper.

Snow breathes in to keep herself calm and not charge the bastard herself. "I am here."

"I have found you." He murmurs, chuckling lowly. "Where are we?"

"I have no idea, Eric. Why not ask him?" She jerks her head to the shadows and his eyes grow wide.

"No! You will not touch her again! I will not let you!" Eric jumps up and looks a little bit like his old self again when he stands in front of her protectively. Again? Eric knows who this man is? She tries to draw his attention by tapping his shoulder, but he shrugs her off, focussing solely on his direct enemy.

The shadow laughs amusedly. "My dear Huntsman, you could not stop me if you tried. My powers are unlimited here. You cannot tell me what to do, not here! Where there is no one to help you!" A shiver runs down Snow's spine at his laugh. She fears greatly for Eric's life at this moment.

"Eric, calm down, please. I do not want you to get hurt!" she says, putting a hand on his arm. He turns to her, his eyes dark with fury.

"Do you not know who this is? This...this..._monster_?!"

Snow shakes her head, desperate for answers. "I do not. Maybe you will tell me?"

Eric opens his mouth, then shuts it again, then opens it. "I – I cannot...he has done something! I cannot speak his name!"

Snow whirls around to the shadow of the man, anger coursing through her system. She has had quite enough, and she wants answers. Now. "Give him his right to speak back!"

"I think not!" The man laughs maniacally. "Do we have a deal, Milady?"

Snow shakes her head, while holding tightly onto Eric's hand. "No!"

"Snow, do it." whispers Eric. "Do it, be free. You have been imprisoned long enough."

Snow shakes her head again. She refuses to let this man sacrifice himself for her. "Let him go, I will stay here, just let him go."

"NO!" bellows Eric, but Snow ignores him. This has to be done.

"I knew you would say that. But it is too late. I cannot let him leave here. It is not my magic that brought him here, so I cannot whisk him away, no matter how much I'd like to.

"Please. Just let him go."

"I told you, I cannot!"

"Stop!" shouts Eric, sitting up, ignoring Snow's hands that are trying to pull him back down. "If I promise to stay here, will you let her go?"

"Of course. I am a man of my word."

"Then do it. I will stay. Let her go."

Snow sits baffled for a moment, before she attacks. She hits his broad chest and back while tears stream down her cheeks. "You bastard! Why would you do this?! You cannot expect me to leave without you! I cannot!" Eric never fights back.

"You are free to go, my lovely Snow. And you can stop hitting him, his punishment will be much more severe, for taking you from me, for killing me."

Snow stills, her blood turning cold when realization hits her. She suddenly knows why she recognizes his voice. She suddenly feels how he controls this world, how he stays here while others move on. This is Ravenna's work. She created this world, she allows him to stay here. "_You_! I know who you are!"

The man steps out of the shadows slowly, and even with the knowledge, the sight still shocks her. It cannot be possible. She watched him die. This cannot be him. "Well, are you not a clever little queen."

"Stop it, you bastard, just let her go!" yells Eric.

"She would have been gone already if she truly wanted to!" he shouts. Snow just stares at the man in front of her. This is impossible. She knows it is real, and yet her eyes refuse to accept the reality. "But she does not, do you, my Queen?"

"Snow. Leave. Now." Eric spits through his teeth.

"I – I cannot." she stutters. She physically cannot. "Not without you, Eric."

Eric groans, and turns his body fully towards her. "Snow, my love, my life, please. Go. I beg of you."

"No, not without you!"

The horrible man chuckles, making shivers shoot up her spine. "See, Huntsman? She does not want to leave. This is why this was such a brilliant plan. Not only do I get the Queen, I get to punish you. God smiles down upon me."

"You will not lay a hand on him!" shrieks Snow, lunging forward to the nightmare's throat. He jumps out of her way, laughing like a madman. "I swear to God, Satan, or whoever is willing to listen to prayers about you, if you hurt him, I will end you for good and send you to the next world myself!" The next thing she knows is a hand clamped around her throat, cutting off her air supply.

"NO!" yells Eric, jumping to his feet angrily.

"Do not come any closer, I am warning you only once! I can and will kill her without a second thought!"

"Please. I beg of you. Do not kill her."

The monster chuckles, while Snow struggles to breathe. "What is that? The fierce Huntsman begging for the life of a petty, stupid girl?"

"She is not stupid!"

Suddenly, a loud banging noise echoed through the empty space, hurting everybody's ears. "What is that?" yells Snow, no longer in _his _hold.

"I do not know!" The monster takes one step, but then collapses. The noise is too much for a person, even a dead one.

"Snow!" Eric throws his arms over her and tries to protect her from the blast. She is starting to hate it when he tries to protect her. As if she cannot do that herself. And besides, it does not help in this case. The noise pushes right through. "Are you alright?"

"Well, what do you think?!" she yells back.

He nods. "Sorry. I am just worried. I cannot lose you, you know that."

She has had enough of this. "Stop it!" she yells, and he looks at her, surprise evident in his eyes. He had not been expecting this. "I am so sick of everybody fussing over me. I am perfectly capable to take care of myself. I have for eleven bloody years."

Suddenly, a big, greasy hand closes around her upper arm and the monster pulls her to her feet. "Let her go!" Eric is thrown away again, making Snow gasp and struggle against the hold.

"I do not think so." Snow turns to her captivator, her entire being searing with rage. What she sees in his face, frightens her deeply. His eyes are burning with an animalistic hunger, and she knows she is in real danger of being physically hurt now. "You are mine, Snow White, and whether you want to or not, I intend on taking what is mine."

"NO!" booms Eric. But it is too late. The monster throws Snow on the pelts, which knocks all the wind out of her lungs. She gasps for air desperately, and in that time, the monster has already covered her body with his. He presses his filthy lips against hers, kissing her far too roughly, and she squirms away from him. _God, please, somebody, do something!_ "LET HER GO, YOU PIECE OF FILTH!"

She feels him smirk against her lips, and suddenly tears her dress from the hem to her middle, making her gasp and sob at the same time. This is not happening. She wanted to wait until she met the perfect man. "Please..." she whimpers. Her fear overtakes her anger.

"Oh, I will make you beg. Do not worry." he says cruelly.

Snow looks sideways in desperation, and her eyes meet Eric's. He is pinned to the ground by some invisible force, but fighting like hell to gain his freedom. And that is when it hits her. Everything falls just into place. She knows her destiny know. Or what it was supposed to be until this moment. It feels like she is going to die, and frankly, she does not argue with that feeling. "I am so sorry, Eric." she says. The monsters retracts its head and looks at her with carnal surprise and hunger. She does not pay attention. "I should have realised."

Eric stops struggling and stares at her, something soft and precious sparkling in his eyes. "Realised what?"

"I should have told you from the beginning. I have always known...I am so sorry. I – " Snow swallows. Why has she waited this long to tell him this. "I love you, Eric."

His entire face lights up and he smiles softly. "Oh Snow..." They both seem to have forgotten about the monster on top of her, only eyes for each other. That does not please him in the slightest, but neither see the fury that is appearing on his face. "You know I love you, too. I always have, and I always will."

A lonesome tear escapes her eye and it rolls dramatically down her cheek. She does not want to die. She wants a life. She wants him to hold her, to tell her it is all going to be alright. She wants to hold him, she wants to tell him that she will never hurt him like she has again. But he is pinned down, and so is she, and only their eyes can touch each other. Oddly, that seem to fulfil both of them greatly. Snow feels like she can see right through to his soul. And what she sees is beautiful. He loves her. All his being is attuned to please and love her. Just her. Always putting himself in second place.

"You should have told him this sooner." The monster suddenly whispers, harshly pulling her attention back to him, bringing the fear back to her body and mind. "Now I am going to take what was supposed to be his." _No._

"Oh God, Snow!" Eric shouts. "Please, God!"

The monster laughs maniacally and starts undoing his pants. "God will not help you here, good Huntsman. You will watch me take what is yours. And then she will watch me kill you." Snow's entire being shocks at his words. Not so much the first part, but having to watch her Huntsman die? She will never survive that! He laughs again and prepares to strike.

And then the loud banging noise is back, and a loud scream tops it. "Get off her, you sick, twisted asshole!" Snow's whole being lights up. That is William! William! He is actually here! She starts crying with joy, and then the weight on her body disappears. She looks up and sees William engaged in battle with the monster. She can honestly say she has never been so glad to see him in her life.

"William!" she shouts.

"Go help Eric!" he yells back, punching the monster. "You think you got all the power here, _boy_? Wrong! It is three to one now!" Suddenly, a sword appears out of nowhere and William has to jump aside quickly to avoid being slashed in half. Snow gasps in horror. "Go. Free. Eric!" he yells panting, trying hard to steer clear of the sharp blade. She nods and runs over to her Huntsman.

"Eric!" she says, sobbing. She holds his face for a second before desperately trying to free him. It is useless. This is magic. Black magic. "I cannot..."

"Snow, look at me. Yes, you can. You are pure, white and good. That is the exact opposite. You possess so much magic. It can free me. Concentrate. I love you." His eyes are soft, supporting. She nods and takes a deep breath, focussing on channelling her wish to free him to the black magic. _I love you, too_. Suddenly, two strong, warm arms wrap around her, and she smells him. She has done it! She wraps her arms around his broad frame and buries her face deeply into his shoulder. "I am so proud of you, Snow. Now, why do we not finish this and go home?" He nudges her off gently and looks at her. _Home._ It sounds so good. She has no idea how long she has been away. But she just wants to go home. With Eric. She nods. He pulls her to him and kisses the top of her head. "Good."

"How do we defeat him, Eric?" she says softly, looking over anxiously at William, who was still dodging.

He curses under his breath, running his hands through his hair. "I knew I should have brought my axe." Snow looks around desperately, looking for anything that can help her save her best, oldest friend. "Come on, Eric, you are better than this." he murmurs. Suddenly, he loses his balance and he shouts a curse. "What the...?!" He gasps. "My axe!" Snow stares in awe at him. How has he done that? "How...? Ahh...Sahila said I should not think of anything while going under. I am so glad I did." He turns to her, and quickly puts his hand on her cheek. "Stay here. Promise me you will stay safe."

What? Is he suggesting she should sit on the sidelines, and watch how the man she loves and her best friend fight the monster who tried to kidnap and rape her? "No! Eric, I cannot let you fight alone!"

He drops his axe and grabs her face with both hands. "I need you to promise me, Snow! I cannot lose you! Please."

Snow crosses her arms over her chest and tries not to get distracted by his big hands on her small face. It just feels so _right_. He nods and with one last kiss on her temple, he turns and charges forward, to aid William. Snow bites her nails, trying frantically to come **(40k words!)** up with an idea that will not kill at least one of her protectors. In the back of her head, she still feels extremely guilty over hurting William. She knows she has, by choosing Eric, but she needs to make the right choice for herself for a change.

God, why is this even on her mind right now?! Her lover and oldest friend are fighting for _her_, and she cannot do anything! Come on, there has to be something. She starts sneaking around the yelling and screaming men, the shouts chilling her to the bones. William and Eric are both extremely angry, but the monster has the upper hand. This is his world. He holds all the power here. And that leaves the two men at a disadvantage. She needs to do something, but what? Sahila said that they could not think of anything when going to sleep, because that would be taken here. If Eric has done it, why would William have not?

"William!" she shouts, catching all three men's attention. But they never stop fighting. God forbid they stop fighting.

"Snow, what is it?" he snaps harshly, he hardly looks up from his fight.

"Did you think of anything when you fell asleep?"

He groans when he dives out of the way and lands on his shoulder, he has one moment to look up at her, and she sees an ocean of hurt. He has heard everything. He knows she has chosen. He knows she has not chosen him. "What do you mean?"

"Anything? A weapon, maybe?"

William turns on his back, catches the blade of the monster's sword between his feet and rolls over, forcing it out of his hands. Snow is genuinely impressed. "My bow and arrows, probably? Why?"

"Think of it again. Do it, now!" she orders, and she hears her own voice. It holds an awful lot of authority. This is Queen Snow talking. Her orders are always followed. So William nods and turns back. She cannot be certain he is thinking of it, but she trusts him with her life. So he probably is. Looking around frantically, she tries to find his bow and arrows. She is not as decent a shooter as he is, but she can manage, and if she puts an arrow through the monster's eye socket, she would feel better. "Come on." she mutters, and then her eyes cross the scene again. Eric has a bloody cut running from his temple to his jaw line, and he is limping every time he walks. William has a nasty cut on his arm, but seems fine besides that. Eric is handling his axe like he always does, swinging, throwing, grabbing and slashing, while William only has his hands and body to attack and defend himself. This has to stop quickly, or one of them will die. And she does not want either of them to die.

"Snow!" William yells suddenly, drawing her attention. He jumps aside and then looks over to the fire place. She looks, too, and she sighs in relief. Yes! There they are, William's precious bow and arrows. She runs over to it, grabbing the bow in her hands and aligning an arrow. "Toss them to me, Snow!"

Snow shakes her head, takes her stance and pulls back the string. _Take a deep breath, touch your mouth, concentrate_, she coaches herself. "Get out of the way!" she yells. William's eyes grow wide and he ducks, and Eric does so without even looking. He trusts her completely. She releases the string and holds her breath as the arrow whizzes through the air towards the monster. She does not even notice the sharp sting of the string hitting her bare arm. The monster turns around lightening quick, and smirks, before catching the arrow in his hand. Snow releases her breath in fright. How is that even possible?

"Oh my love, it is not that easy to kill me." he says, and suddenly he is in front of her, grabbing her arms and throwing her down. The back of her head hits the floor and she is momentarily dazed. "It is also a mistake you should never have made." He starts working on his pants again, and Snow's heart fills with fright.

"No, please..." she whimpers, while frantically trying to clear her head.

He smirks, preparing himself to throw himself down on top of her. "Oh yes. You better enjoy this. Because this will happen every day for the rest of your life."

Snow feels a single tear roll down her cheek as she hears the faint shouts of Eric and William. She feels around frantically, for anything that can help her escape this fate. He bares his evil-toothed smile and then pounces on her. She closes her eyes. The last thing she hears is Eric's booming voice.

"FINN, DON'T!"

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**AND THERE IT IS! Congrats, you made it to the end. I'm sorry I kept you hanging with 'the monster' and 'that man' for so long, but I had to find a good way to reaveal his identity. I'm still not completely satisfied. So, it's Finn. I'm guessing most of you guessed already, but what can I say? I really hate him, but he can play a good role and he is a good villain. Besides, I wanted him to be truly bad this time, and not some submissive for his sister.**

**So, what did you think of it? I hope it was a good read, I for one rather enjoyed writing that last part. Let me know what you think!**

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**And now for some shameless self-promotion: I've written an original story(yes. dreamt, thought of and written by moi!:D) on wattpad . com. It's called World War III, and I'd love reads, votes and comments. You'd really make me happy if you'd take a look at it and tell me what you think. Just go to: wattpad user/BeautifulLily and click on works below my profile description. It'd really make me happy!**

**Anyways, see you guys next chapter!**


	18. Chapter XVII

**Wow! Two weeks! That must be a bloody record! I didn't have as much response to last chapter as I had hoped, seeing as I made you lot wait for two friggin' months. Maybe I deserved that. I do feel guilty about that, though.**

**My inspiration muse is not done with me yet, so this isn't the last chapter either. It did come fairly quickly, mainly because I knew what I wanted to happen before I even started writing it. I'll try, ****_really try_****, to get the next chapter up ASAP, but it's just bloody difficult!**

**I hope you love it, and please, ****_please_**** leave me a review. It's the air I breathe! Don't cut off my oxygen;)!**

**Okay, I'm done with the dramatics(for now)!**

**Love, Lily**

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**XVII**

Blood everywhere. It is warm and wet on her ice cold skin. She keeps her eyes skewered shut, scared out of her mind for what would happen next. But the weight on her body was not moving, and she could not feel a breath or a heartbeat. She frowns, but does not dare to move. This is probably some trick he is playing on her mind. To give her a false hope of safety. But he will not fool her. He may take her body, but he will never take her soul, nor her spirit. She slowly allows herself to slip into a state of rest, unconsciousness if you will, to forget everything and just dream of her Huntsman. Her prince. Her love. She smiles softly.

"Eric..." she murmurs. Suddenly, the weight is pulled off of her and her eyes flash open, confused at the sudden change. This is not what she expected. At all. White engulfs her and she closes her eyes again quickly.

"I am here, Snow. You are going to be fine." his soft voice whispers in her ear and she smiles again. This is a good dream. "Snow, open your eyes." She just enjoys his lips on her ear and warm breath in her neck. "Open your eyes for me, Snow." His voice sounds commanding, and she reluctantly opens her eyes, expecting to see that horrible face. Instead she sees William's and Eric's faces, hovering over her in worry. "There you are." Eric is the first one to speak and attract all of her attention. She does not understand yet what has happened, but she know she is safe now. "Let go of the arrow, love." he whispers, his large hand wrapping around hers. She looks down and sees to her utter horror that there is a bloody arrow in her hand. The blood is dripping down it onto her hand and there is more on her dress and the rest of her body. She drops the arrow in horror, gasping for breath as she sees herself covered in _his_ blood.

Finn. She should have known from the moment that he died, that he would not give up his quest for her. He would come back, and he did. She looks sideways and sees him, lifeless and limp on the floor next to her, his white hair covered in his own blood as the pool that is already there keeps spreading around his body. Snow suppresses the urge to gag.

"Wha-what happened?"

"You killed him." Eric says, a hint of pride in his voice.

"Oh God." she says, and then she surprises both of the men by flinging her arms around their necks. "I am so relieved that you are both alright. If either of you would have been hurt or killed...I would never have forgiven myself."

"_You_ are worried about _us_? You were the one that was held here." whispers William, receiving an appreciative chuckle from Eric. "Are you alright? He did not hurt you?"

She shakes her head. "Nothing I cannot handle. Now what exactly did I do?" she asks, and she hears her voice tremble. She will never get used to the feeling of watching someone die at her hand. First it was Ravenna, and now Finn. She shivers.

Eric smiles and William looks down with a smirk on his face. The Huntsman is the one to speak. "Well, he launched himself at you, and it was a horrible sight to see. I honestly thought I would never see your beautiful eyes again." He holds the side of her face in his hand and looks at her if she is something marvelous and wonderful, then he shakes his head. "Anyway, he jumped you and I do not think either William or I have ever run that fast before. But he did not move after that. You were shaking all over, and your eyes were clenched shut, and for a second I thought he already had...defiled you." Hurt and worry cloud his eyes, and he takes her hand in his tightly. William looks away. "But then he still did not move, and William was the first one to react. He pulled him off you and...well, I think it is safe to say that we were both quite surprised to see you with that arrow and him with a big hole in his stomach. He was trembling and gasping for breath, his eyes glazing over. It was strange, because I had seen exactly that happen before." Eric stares in the distance, obviously remembering the day he killed Finn in those branches. Snow sits up slowly, grasping his hand tighter as if she is scared to lose him again. "Easy, love."

She ignores him and looks up at William. "I am so sorry, William." she whispers. The hurt is evident in his eyes, and it shakes her to the core. She almost wants to kiss the pain away, but she knows she cannot give him false hope. He needs to move on from her. They were never meant to be.

"It was inevitable, I guess. I always knew it was not going to be me." he says, pinching her hand. "I will always love you, Snow."

Snow smiles softly. "As I will love you." A flash of hurt crosses Eric's face, but she ignores him. "But I need to choose for me now."

He nods, leans in and kisses her forehead. "I know. I understand."

"Please, do not leave. I cannot lose my best friend."

He chuckles. "I will not. I will serve you, my Queen, until I die." He now kisses her hand and smiles up at her. "I solemnly promise and swear."

She leans her forehead against his and closes her eyes. "Thank you. I was afraid you might leave me."

"Never."

She pulls away and smiles at both men. "Now, how are we going to get out of this hell?"

They look at her like they just realised that that is another problem. Eric opens his mouth, shuts it and then blinks. "Good question. I – I never really thought of that..."

William hangs his head. "I should have asked Sahila."

The two boys look so lost and sorry, that Snow takes pity on them. "It is alright. We will figure out a way, do not worry." She rises, and both run to her aid. She waves them off irritated. "Oh for the love of God, please. I can take care of myself." When she brushes off her dress and frantically tries to get the two halves together, she thinks she can hear the both of them chuckle, but when she turns, their faces are smooth. Too smooth for her liking. "Boys..." she says, shaking her head, and now they do grin. Snow's heart warms at the sight. Eric looks a decade younger than usual, and William's face is careless again, like she has not seen since they had been children. "Alright, you two. We need to find a way back home. I need to go home. My kingdom needs me. All of us."

Eric and William nod, both still wearing a big grin. "Agreed." murmurs Eric. Snow looks around one last time, swings the bow over her shoulder, tosses the arrows to William and starts leading the men away from this dreadful place.

Passing Finn's body, her own stiffens and she stops. She cannot leave him here like this, can she? She is Queen Snow White, after all. The one with the Purest Heart of all. She sighs and crouches down. His eyes are closed, and for the first time in many, many years, his face is full of peace and tranquility She feels two pair of eyes on her back, but she ignores them. "Rest in peace, Finn. I hope you finally receive what you wanted." She presses the tip of her thumb and the side of her index finger to her lips and then presses her hand to his forehead. A silent blessing. Suddenly, warmth fills the entire room, light radiates from within her and she closes her eyes, smiling. Without even knowing what is happening, she knows. He is passing on. She is helping him move on.

_Thank you, my Snow. I will always remember you._

This time it does not sound malicious, possessive or poisoned. His voice is kind, gentle and full of gratitude. "Go, Finn. Be in peace." She hears both men gasp behind her and she opens her eyes, a fulfilling peace coming over her. And then she realises...Finn's body is gone! "Did I do that?" she asks in wonder.

"I think you did, love." Eric mutters, his eyes glowing with pride and happiness.

Snow cannot help but marvel at the look he gives her. She has never felt this loved. "I hope he is at peace now."

William shakes his head in disbelief. "Only you can forgive the man that was ready to take your life from you to keep you with him."

Snow shrugs. "Everybody deserves to rest in peace. He has had a horrible life, being a lap dog to his sister. He deserves a peaceful life, away from his sister."

Eric, quite suddenly, pulls her into his strong, warm arms and kisses the top of her head. "You are genuinely the purest person I have ever known. I do not deserve you. Nobody is good enough for you. But I will try my very best to take care of you like a lover should." He turns his head to William. "I will take care of her. That is a promise I am making to you right now. If I fail, you have my permission to take care of me as you see fit."

William nods. "I will be waiting." He smirks, and Eric chuckles. Snow does not understand the connection that is between them, but they obviously have put aside their differences and rivalry. It calms her heart. There is a comfortable silence for a moment, before Snow realises that they still have to leave this place. How are they supposed to do that? She does not even know how she arrived here, let alone how to leave. She stands up from her position, and turns to the white wall. She knows it is there. God knows she has been banging on it most of her time here. But how to end up behind it? She slowly walks towards it, her hands outstretched, waiting for them to collide with solid air. It only hits real air. 'Real' as in, there is no wall. Eric and William are beside her in a flash, their hands outstretched as well. "Is this possible?" murmurs William.

Eric lowers his hands. "It must be." he says, his thumb stroking the blade of his axe absentmindedly.

"How?" Snow asks.

"If I had to venture a guess...this wall was connected to Finn. The moment he vanished, so did the wall." Eric takes a few large strides and smiles. "At least we are out of that place." He offers Snow his hand and she takes it, blushing slightly. "The only thing to do now, is walk."

William groans. "I think I have done enough walking to last a life time."

Eric nods in consent. "Yes, I agree. But there is no other alternative."

Snow sighs. The sound of walking does not sound welcoming, but she also sees that their options are limited. "Alright. Let us walk."

So they walk. Endless, the white world surrounds them. Limitless, borderless. Colourless. Depressing. Even Eric's warm hand cannot comfort her. She sees no way out.

What is more, she has not eaten, drunk and slept in days. She is hungry, thirsty and tired. Her feet get heavier and heavier as time progresses, and she starts tripping over them. "Snow, are you alright?"

She looks up, and Eric's face swims in front of her eyes. "I – I am so thirsty." Her legs give out the next moment, and she drops to the ground. Two strong arms wrap around her and lift her.

"I am here, Snow. I have got you. I will not let you go." She snuggles up to his chest, closing her eyes and surrendering to the tire, the adrenaline and the shock. The realisation of what had happened and what could have happened only dawned to her now, and the shock creeps up on her, making her heart pound and her body tremble. "Calm down, Snow, I am here. It is alright. You are safe, you are perfectly safe." He kisses her forehead. "Go to sleep. Forget. We will find a way out of here. Go to sleep." To his warm, low voice, the noise reverberating through his chest, she starts feeling drowsy and sleepy. "I love you, Snow. I will keep you safe." Snuggling even deeper into his chest, she lets herself drift off to a peaceful slumber.

**Eric POV**

He feels incredibly confused. He had thought that he would feel euphoric when she would choose him, but he does not. He is at peace, more than ever before. He does not feel the need to rub it in William's face, like he thought he would do. But William saved her. He came after her, willing and voluntarily, to safe her, no matter whom she would chose. He simply cannot hate him for that. She is snuggled up to his chest, her body small and light. It is disturbing really, how light she is.

"Are you alright, Huntsman?"

Eric looks sideways, seeing the Duke staring at his feet while walking. "Yes. But are you?"

"I do not know. It is...difficult, seeing you two like this. I always thought she and I were meant to be. But I should have known. I should have known the moment your kiss woke her, and not mine. True love's kiss is most powerful. It means your love was written way before either one of us was born. You are meant to be, Snow and I were not, I understand that now. It does not make it any easier." William takes a deep breath and looks up, new light shining in his eyes.

"You are going to find your own happiness, my Lord William. If even I am meant to be with someone, than you certainly are." He looks down at Snow, a thought bothering him deeply. "The idea that she is hurting you must kill her. I hate to see her hurt."

William nods, and Eric almost laughs. They agree on many things lately. "So do I. I will talk to her. I will make her see that I can live with this." He laughs, suddenly, startling Eric. Never in a million years had the Huntsman thought that the Duke would be laughing at this. "I thought it would be harder. Do not misunderstand me, it is still difficult, but not as difficult as I had suspected. Perhaps that is another sign."

"Perhaps." Eric strokes his Snow's hair and smiles at her. She looks so peaceful, and it is a sight for sore eyes. "What I promised you before, it was the truth. I will let you do whatever you want with me if I ever hurt her. I really do love her, William."

William rubs his face, and a small smile is playing his lips. "I know. And trust me when I say that I will. _If_ you hurt her. Which I seriously doubt."

Eric doubts it, too. But you never know. "Alright. Now, how do we get out of this godforsaken place?"

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**And a special thanks to Lefty11, LenaLove95, beauty0102 and gothbutterfly69 for reviewing on last chapter! You are amazing!**


	19. Chapter XVIII

**Hi there! Here I am again. I hope you all stayed with me for this one, because this is where the fun begins(or...? whatever). Enjoy reading it, I sure enjoyed writing it!**

**One thing: I figured out some face claims, so that you guys have an idea of how I picture two of my own characters. Elijah: Daniel Gillies, Sahila: Liv Tyler**

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**XVIII**

She can feel it, tugging on her heart, waking her from her peaceful slumber. Two warm, strong arms are wrapped around her, a muscled chest pressed against her back. She opens her eyes to the new light of day, and memories of last night float back in. Warm lips on hers, safe arms around her. He is back. And he will not go anywhere. Years and years has she waited for him, fighting the urge to find him herself, and now he is back with her, not leaving her. Holding her.

But what is that thing tugging on her heart? Why does she feel so light?

Two soft lips press against her temple. "Good morning, my love." he whispers softly in her ear, and she shivers. Oh, has she missed this. "What is wrong?"

Sahila smiles. Of course he knows. He always knows. "I do not know. There is a tugging on my heart. I – I cannot place it. It is unfamiliar to me."

Elijah sits up, a shocked look on his face. "Tugging on your heart? Does that not mean that someone is trying to reach out for you?" She looks at him, confused at how he would know such a fact, and at how she could have forgotten it. "You told me, long ago, that when I would be thinking about you, whether I was near you or not, you would feel a tugging at your heart. As if I was calling out to it." He places his hand over her heart. "But I'm not calling out to it now. I know, because I managed to control my call."

"Then who?"

They look at each other for a second and then speak in unison, "Snow." They are beside the bed the next moment, running towards the room where the three are still vast asleep.

"It is the only possibility." murmurs Elijah.

"She is the only one how possesses this kind of power." Sahila adds, smiling at him softly. They are still very well tuned.

Elijah takes her hand. "That means they are ready to return."

Sahila quickly checks for a pulse on all three, and is surprised to find that they all have one. "This is good. Nobody is dead yet."

"You can bring them back." Elijah says, pushing his pony out of his eyes. "Eric cannot bring both of them back! He is the only one who is able to return home, but he is not magical enough to bring Snow _and_ William back. You can grab hold of that pull, and reverse it, pull on it yourself."

"That explains how Snow is going to get back. I cannot pull on Eric or William."

"She is tied to them, Sahila. Can you not see?" He takes her hand and motions for her to close her eyes. Immediately lights explode behind her eyelids and she sees Snow's lifeline as clear as day. A blue string running through a sea of light blue water, surrounded by other lines, other lives that Snow was once bound to. _"See? Snow is bound to both Eric and William."_ Indeed, two lines connect directly to Snow's lifeline, at the core of it all. William and Eric's. He then pulls her back to the real world, and her head suddenly feels light. He catches her without any problem. "Hey, careful. I got you, I will not let you go, I promise."

"How did you do that?" Sahila says in awe, looking up at the face of the man she so desperately loves.

"A long time to practice. It has something to do with making contact with the universe – look, that does not matter." He kisses her forehead lightly. "Pull on Snow, and you pull on Eric and William. Trust me, if you take her back, she will take them back."

Sahila nods, making up her mind. "Alright. But I need more strength. I cannot do this on my own."

Elijah smiles softly, and takes her hand. "I am right here with you. Take my power."

She takes his hand and closes her eyes, finding the tie to her heart and feeling Snow's radiant power. Drawing her power from her source and Elijah's, she takes a firm hold on it and starts pulling. She feels the young Queen startle, but keeps pulling. Soon enough, the girl understands and gives in, consequently giving Sahila two more ties to pull. Eric's and William's. She feels her power waver, and pulls more from Elijah. She can do this. But even both their powers are not enough to hold on to three lifelines. Both sources are weakening. _No, this cannot happen! Not now!_

And then there is a sudden burst of power, strong enough to fuel both hers and Elijah's power, strong enough to make her gasp. Then she hears Elijah laugh.

"Brilliant! She is giving us her power!" he says, and Sahila smiles gratefully. _Thank you, Snow_.

_Just bring us back safely._

"That girl is too powerful and clever for her own good." Elijah says chuckling, and Sahila has to agree, this girl is pretty good.

"Yes, but can you be quiet now. I am desperately trying to hold on to three lifelines here."

"Sorry." She feels his lips on her forehead, which made her smile and then there was nothing but silence, and the three glowing lifelines in front of her. Slowly but surely, she pulls on them, bringing them closer to the real world. The closer they come, the better she can feel them and the easier it becomes. And then she sees it. Three shadows at the end of the lines. They are almost home. _Just hold on. _she whispers to Snow, although she has no idea if she can her hear.

_I am, trust me._

"Sahila, a big one, now!" Elijah suddenly shouts, and she feels it too. The power is weakening quickly. Her heart starts racing as she pulls with all her power, Elijah's and Snow's. The shadows are engulfing her then, drowning her, making it impossible for her to breathe. It was too fast. She knows it should not have happened so fast, and now she is paying the price. The three of them are now inside her, trying desperately to fit, but since her own life is already in her body, then cannot. It is suffocating her. "I am here, Sahila, hold on! I am taking you to their bodies, you must transfer them into their own bodies!" She feels herself being lifted from the ground as her head pounds, full of the thoughts of four separate people. She groans. "I know, I know, we are almost there!" he sounds desperate. He deposits her and she feels three heartbeats, to which the other thoughts are drawn immediately. _Go, take your bodies back._ she says weakly. The three entities leave suddenly, and she collapses. All energy has been drained from her and the sudden return of normal sight overwhelms her. Strong arms catch her, and hold her close. "Sahila, please, do not leave me. Not when I have just found you again."

She reaches up for his face and strokes it gently. "I love you, Elijah. Remember that." Ironic. She always knew someone would die at the end. She just never imagined it to be her. But somehow, it is alright. She has lived her life to the fullest and now it is time for her next adventure. "It is alright. I have lived my life, my love."

"No," he murmurs.

She shivers and her eyelids feel heavy. "I feel cold."

He catches a choky breath. "No, you do _not_! Please, Sahila!" She could feel his pain reverberating through her chest, but she could not do anything about it. "I love you. You cannot leave me. I am nothing without you."

"I am sorry, my love. I will be waiting for you." She feels the last bit of energy drain from her and she drifts off, nothingness overcoming her, feeling more at peace than ever before.

**Snow White POV**

Gasping for sweet, normal air, she opens her eyes and smiles. They did it. They are back! She tries to sit up, but her body feels so weak that she is barely able to move it. The euphoria quickly dissipates as the pain rushes through her system. Ever movement hurts, every thought burns and every breath is torture.

Next to her, she hears to other bodies coming back to life, much in the same way as hers did. She rolls her head sideways, groaning in pain and the first thing she sees is Eric's face, contorted in pain and concentration. "Eric." she whispers, and painfully lifts a hand to his face. He looks sideways, another flash of pain crossing his face as he does and his eyes brighten.

"Snow." he murmurs, taking her hand in his and kissing it. "We made it."

She pushes herself closer to him, and hisses in pain as she does. "We are home."

Sobs of hurt, anger and sadness interrupt them. "No, Sahila, do not leave me! Please, come back!" Eric shoots up, completely forgetting the pain, and pulling Snow with him. On the floor, next to the bed, is Elijah, cradling a limp black-haired woman in his arms. Snow's eyes water with tears. Not Sahila. Not the kind witch who saved their lives. This is not fair.

"No! Mother!" Eric jumps from the bed and lands next to Elijah. "Mother, please. You cannot leave, you are not supposed to leave us!"

William has his head buried in his hands, and his shoulders are shaking. Snow crawls over to the side of the bed and looks down at the heartbreaking sight. "Snow." William whispers, and she hugs him, and he hugs her back and they sit there for a moment. "I am so sorry, Huntsman." He says as they break apart.

Eric is rocking back and forth, crying for what seems like the very first time since Snow died. She gets off the bed and wraps her arms around him, comforting him. "Snow, you have to do something! You have magic, you can safe her!"

"She cannot." They all turn and see Muir standing in the doorway.

"Where have you been?" asks Elijah, accusingly.

"Been reporting to the other dwarves. I am glad to see you awake, my Queen."

Snow nods at him, but her attention is not there. "What do you mean, I cannot?"

"I mean what I say. I have felt your magic, my Queen . And you used it all. You cannot use anymore until you are recharged, so to say."

Snow's heart clenches, and more tears stream down her cheeks. "No! I have to do something! Sahila, I have to save her!" Eric's arms wrap around her body as she screams and cries, and she feels him shock behind her.

"Snow, please. You cannot save her, it is too late!" he says in her ear, rocking her. "Please, Snow, stop!"

Her body goes limp in his arms and she buries her face in his chest, sobbing heartbreakingly, one hand on Sahila's motionless belly. "Oh God, oh God, please, God, no!"

Two pair of arms wrap around the couple and Snow, Eric, William and Elijah sit together for a long time, Snow sobbing violently, Eric shaking quietly, Elijah rocking with grief and William stroking Snow's hair.

Muir begins muttering softly from a corner, "_Almighty Father, source of forgiveness and salvation, grant that our friend who has passed from this life may, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all the saints, come to share your Eternal happiness through Christ our Lord. Amen. Eternal Rest, grant to her, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen. May the Lord bless us, may he keep us from evil and bring us to life everlasting. Amen._" He pressed his fingers to Sahila's forehead and closed his eyes. "I am sorry, Sahila. This fate was never for you. It has all changed now. Ravenna has all changed it."

Snow looks up. "We have to safe her!" she sobs.

"My dear Snow, you cannot." Eric whispers in her ear, while his sobs are still evident in his voice. "She is gone. She passed saving all of our lives."

"But it is not fair!" she yells, new tears streaming down her face. "After all I have been through, after all I have done, can I not, for once, receive one thing in return?! Just one thing!" She buries her face in his chest as he rocks her trembling body.

"I am so sorry, my love." he whispers.

"You are sorry? I should be sorry! She was your aunt! I. Killed. Her!" she screams at him, pounding his chest hard. He holds her through it all, never complaining, until she completely collapses in his arms, doing nothing but crying.

"You did not kill her, my dear Snow. She chose this. She saved you, out of her own free will." His hand runs through her hair, soothing her while she cries. Her body feels broken, but her heart and her mind are worse off. It feels like she is breaking apart from the inside, that tiny bit of her that was still intact. Now it is broken. She is broken. Useless. She's killed the only woman who never deserved to die.

_It was me. I was supposed to be the one who died._ she thinks, her face buried deep in Eric's chest. A sudden knock on the door startled them all. "Oh, sorry, that will be the dwarves." murmurs Muir, disappearing quickly.

Snow sobs silently, and it is all she can do with Eric's strong arms holding her in place. "I just...I want...I cannot..."

"Shh..." he whispers in her ear, rocking her. "Shh, my love."

William's hand is suddenly on her back. "Snow, my oldest, best friend. The pain you are going through is completely normal. I know it hurts. I know you think it is unbearable, but it will get better."

"I do not want it to get better! I want to feel guilty forever, because I KILLED HER! it is all my fault!"

"We cannot help her at this point." she hears Eric murmur to William. Eric's arms refuse to let her go as she struggles to remove herself from his grasp. "She needs to grief, but I fear she will hurt herself if I let her go."

"Then do not let her go." says William. "Her safety is more important."

"First Duir, now Sahila, all because of me. I am a killer." Snow murmurs lifelessly.

"Do not think like that!" shouts Eric suddenly, startling her half to death. She looks up at him and her heart clenches at the fire she sees in there. "You are not a killer. You are Life itself, you are not a killer! I will not have you think like that! I love you, Snow, and I know what kind of a woman you are, and it is not a killer."

"But Sahila..."

"I know you do not believe this at this point, but I am going to tell you: Sahila died because you were worth saving. She knew the risks."

"She did. She was willing to do everything to get the three of you back safely." Says Elijah suddenly, placing his hand on her arm, making her look up to him. It is horrible, looking the man in the eyes that used to be the lover of the woman Snow had killed. But there is no contempt or hatred. Only sorrow and understanding. "She sacrificed everything for you, and she was okay with that. She died, knowing that she brought you back safely."

"But she was so young."

Elijah suddenly smiles, shaking his head. "See, that is where you are wrong. She only looked young. But she was extremely old."

Silence in the room. All three of the resurrected look at him blankly, not understanding a word he is saying now. "You are not making any sense."

Elijah sighs and shakes his head. "She never wanted anyone to find out. Especially not you, Eric. But I think you deserve to know." He looks down at Sahila's body and smiles again, lovingly. "Sahila was never your aunt, Eric. She was, in fact, your great-great-great-grandmother." Another dramatic silence. Snow looks at Eric, whose expression changes from incomprehensive to skeptical. Snow sighs. Thank God she is not the only one who does not believe this.

Eric laughs. "Good one, Elijah, you almost had me."

But Elijah does not laugh. Nor does William. He looks at Elijah in awe. "You are one of the Wanderers. Blessed with unnatural long life. Cursed to roam the earth for the rest of eternity."

Elijah bows his head. "I was. Until I found a compound for true Immortality. I was ignorant back then. And madly in love. I had just met Sahila, we were supposed to become husband and wife. She knew what I was and was devastated by it. She wanted to spend all of eternity with me." He takes Sahila's hand in his and strokes her skin softly. "She was so young, so innocent. I should never have taken advantage of her like that."

"I do not understand. Eternal life is...impossible." says Eric.

"No. It is not." murmurs Snow suddenly. Eric looks down at her, still incomprehensive. "Ravenna. She stayed young forever by feeding on young girls' youth." They did not...! "Please tell me you did not feed on other's youth!" she yells at Elijah, who cringes but laughs.

"Trust me, there are far better ways to stay young forever. Ravenna never looked hard enough. I did. I found it. In a library, buried in a desert. On one of my many wanderings, I literally stumbled upon the library. I slipped in through a window." His eyes shine as he remembers it. "The amount of books was amazing. The information stored there was a century's worth of reading. I was there for about five years. Time flew by. And in the end, I found the composition for True Immortality. After that, I met Sahila in London, England." At their confused expressions, he laughs and shakes his head. "Never mind that, it is part of a kingdom far away from here. Non-hostile, Sir William." he says to William, and Snow laughs shakily. Of course William would fear a hostile coup like all those years ago. Eric kisses her forehead, and she can feel how glad he is to hear her laugh, even though it is just a shaky one. "We fell in love so quickly it was frightening. And she wanted to spend all of eternity with me." He snorted. "Me! A Wanderer! I loved her so much, just as she loved me. She took the compound. She made herself immortal for me. It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for me." He smiled ruefully. "We lived and traveled together for...well, decades. Never aging. Never stopping with loving each other. But I should have known it would not last. Sahila was not a Wanderer. Eventually, she had enough. She left me. And I could not even blame her."

Snow looks wide-eyed from Elijah to William to Eric. Eric looks baffled and stunned and scared, and it hurts her heart to see him so lost. She wraps her arms around him and frowns. How could she have been so selfish? He just lost the one woman who cared for him his entire life. How could she have thought only of herself? Eric buries his face in her hair and inhales deeply. "I do not understand." he whispers. "She was...immortal?"

"Exactly."

"Why did she never tell me?"

"Immortality is not something that is accepted in this kingdom. Or any, for that matter. She wanted to avoid you accidentally ratting her out when you were a kid."

"Great-great-great-grandmother?" Snow turns her attention to Eric's face, and she sees his confusion and hurt. His arms tighten around her, as if he is afraid she will disappear if he lets go. "I...I cannot take this." He suddenly rises. "I need air."

Snow jumps to her feet. "Let me come with you." She quickly wipes her tears away. "Eric, please. Let me come with you."

He nods and then stalks off. Snow turns to William and Elijah. "I am sorry, I need to..."

William stands up and takes her hands. "Go. He needs you."

She smiles gratefully and runs after her Huntsman, finding the door open and the cold air breezing in, along with some splatters of rain. It feels so good to feel the rain on her skin again. She stops herself and forces herself to get some perspective here. "Eric?" He is standing with his back towards her, his head bowed as the rain poured down on him. She approaches him and wraps her arms around his waist, intending to comfort him. He turns swiftly, and before she knows it, she is with her back against the wall, his lips crashing down on hers passionately, and her blood is on fire. Everything ignites inside her, and she wraps her arms around his neck, kissing back as good as she gets. When air becomes a problem for the both of them, they break away panting. She stares down at him and he stares back up, his troubled, dark eyes boring directly into her soul. "What has gotten into you?" she asks softly. "Not that I am complaining."

He chuckles lowly and leans his forehead against hers. "I am sorry. I just – wanted to know if you were real. If any of this was real."

"I am. It is. Trust me, what I just felt was real." she says, laughing breathlessly. They cannot care less at this moment about the rain pouring down on their heads, soaking them from head to toe.

He strokes her hair, and she loves the attention he is giving her. In the pit of her stomach, she feels something burning. A longing for more of what she just experienced. She has never been kissed like that. "I need to know. I need to know now."

"Need to know what?" He looks so lost, so afraid. So broken. Poor Eric. She wraps her hands around his neck and forces him to look at her. "Eric, talk to me, you are scaring me."

He closes his eyes, obviously in great pain, and it hurts her to see him like that. "I need to know if you are going to stay. I need to know if you will not leave me like everyone else in my life." He presses his forehead against hers again, she wraps her arms around his broad shoulders and feels him tremble underneath her. He is so afraid. "Please, Snow."

She leans in and kisses his forehead, his eyes, his nose, his cheeks, his jaw and finally his lips. She can taste salt on his cheeks, mixed with the rain. He has been crying. "I will never leave you, Eric. Never. I promise. I will be here for you." She kisses him again and again, while he cries silently. Her poor, broken Huntsman. She wishes she could do something to help him ease his pain, but she knows she cannot. He has just lost the most important person in his life.

"Snow." he whispers. "Snow, Snow, Snow." He is chanting her name now, like a spell. "I love you, Snow. I always have, I always will."

"I know." she whispers back.

"What do I do now? Where can I go? I have nothing left." he whispers.

"Come with me." she says, and she hears the plea in her voice. "Come with me, live with me. You will be the Royal Huntsman or something. And one day, I hope, even King."

He suddenly bursts into laughter. "Me? A King?" He kisses her. "I do not know if I can live up to that expectation."

"There is no expectation. I love you, Eric. I want to be with you, but I am Queen. Which would eventually make you King." She sighs and presses his head in her shoulder, comforting him. "I really want to say forever, but after the story we've just heard...I do not know if it is appropriate."

He laughs again and to Snow, it is the most wonderful sound in all the world. "Maybe not."

"Come home with me." she whispers.

He kisses her, giving her his consent. "Home." he whispers. "Our home."

She kisses him, while the water is still pouring down their faces. "Our home."

* * *

**DO NOT KILL ME PLEASE! I know you're probably pissed or something(maybe even happy, how can I know?;D) But it just happened, okay? I was typing and then, BAM, she was dead. It actually fit rather nicely. Can give 'em something to grieve about now that the other shit is behind them.**

**A special shout-out to: lwolf, HEIDI, beauty0102, sulou, Irishbrneyes, LenaLove95, Lefty11, gothbutterfly69 and bjarrell for reviewing on my last chapter! You guys are the best!**


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